A NEW INVENTION. The Macclesfield Courier says: their effective action, it was Resolved, that this committee highly approves of the grass cutter, and hereby records its opinion that it is a very valuable and useful invention; that it is well adapted for cutting verges, lawns, &c., is so light in construction as to be adapted for ladies' use, and likely to become in general use for cutting grass inaccessible to other machines, and also to householders having smaller lawns areas which they may desire to trim up themselves." MR. READ AND THE MALT TAX. A correspondent of the Norwich Mercury, under th heading How Mr. C. S. Read slumped' the Farmers, says: 66 At an election meeting held at Attleborough last week, Mr. C. S. Read, being much opposed, challenged his opponents to point out a single act of his where he had not fulfilled his promises. It is well known that at his first election Mr. Read was largely indeb'ed for his return to his advocacy of the repeal of the Malt Tax, and the following facts will show how he has slumped the farmers on this question: On April 16th, 1874, Sir Stafford Northcote introduced his first Budget, and disposed of the Six Millions Surplus left by the Liberal Government without any attempt to deal with the Malt Tax ! Colonel Barttelot (Malt Tax Repealer) in the discussion, condemned the retention of the Tax. We some months ago called attention to an invention which, simple and useful in its character, has since attained world-wide celebrity, and has given the patentee-a local man -rank in the great army of inventors. We have now pleasure in noticing another, and probably it will be found a more important invention in a similar direction. Since the introduction of his new hedge clipper, which so entirely supersedes the old method of keeping the hedgerows in a trim condition, Mr. Alfred Ridgway, of Macclesfield, has directed his attention to the accomplishment of a purpose which has, we believe, hitherto foiled the inventiva abilities of mechanicians who have given time to the subject. He claims to have suc creded in producing upon a series of blades a "clear scissorske cut." This apparently simple accomplishment is of the highest importance in such operations as sheep shearing, horse chipping, &c. There are at present instruments which are used in horse clipping and sheep shearing, which, at first sight, appear to be similar to Mr. Ridgways plan of manipulation. But the difference between the two is that while in existing instruments the hair or wool is as it were bitten off by the action of a series of reciprocating plates with apertures corresponding to teeth, this machine consists of a series of tempered blades, which, by the simple action given in working it, are caused to cross each other at the slight angle becessary to produce a clean cut as in the case of single hears or scissors. The idea appears to have been very ingeniously in the House, "That in the opinion of this House, the Mait worked out by Mr. Ridgway, who has taken out letters patent protecting his invention. On Saturday last, Mr. Ridgway exhibited several of his machines, constructed on this principle, made applicable to the cutting of grass on lawns, verges, or the sides and corners of footpaths or grass plots not easily ac cessible to other instruments. The experiment took place at the Public Park, in the presence of the Park Committee, Mr. Roscoe, the park curator, Mr. Wright, borough surveyor, and others. The instrument is somewhat of the pattern of the hedge cutter, the working motion being the same, and it seemed to make its way easily, rapidly, and surely over uneven grass, leaving behind a consecutively smooth and "eyeable' surface. Instruments in different sizes were shown, some so easy of manipulation by the hand as to be adapted not only for shearing the close wool off the back of a sheep, but to trim the whiskers of the gentlemen who assembled, some of whom, amid laughter, attempted the experiment. Whether with the faffy wool experimented on, or the hirsute adornments of the Committee, the cuts of the instrument were as clean and certain as with a pair of good Sheffield blades. The great merit of the machine is its simplicity, and (because of its comparative cheapness) its adaptability for general use. It is light in construction, and the ordinary cutting motion of shears is all that is necessary to work it, At the close of the experiments the gentlemen present, some of whom put practical and testing questions, expressed a high opiuion of the ingenuity which the machine exhibited, and its probable extensive adaptability in the farm, the garden, and the homestead. The following complimentary resolution was placed upon the minutes of the Park Committee, and read at the meeting of the Local Board of Health on Thursday evening last: "At a meeting of the Park Committee, on Saturday, February 21, present Alderman Smale; Councillors Hordern, Rowbotham, J. Smale, Fowler, Stanniforth, and G. Walker, Mr. Ridgway, of the Market-place, attended and submitted for the inspection of the committee his recently invented Patent Manual Grass Cutter, a light and convenient implement adapted for cutting the grass of verges, lawns, and uneven surfaces neatly and with the dispatch hitherto onlyattained by mowingmachines. Some difficulty was experienced in finding long grass to experi ment upon, the herbage not having yet commenced growing. Patches of old loug grass of last season's growth were cut with the implement, as was also the grass on the top of a sunken wall, not accessible to scythe or machine, the effect being a clean cut made with the greatest ease. The manual grass cutter, the principle of which Mr. Ridgway showed was applicable to sheep shears and horse clippers, possesses the cross cut scissors, each blade crossing its opposite one, and producing a clean cut from base to point. Mr. Ridgway also exhibited several pairs of multiple shears for shearing sheep and other similar uses, and after a careful inspection, and witnessing A week later, Mr. Fielden, true to his constituents, moved Tax ought to be reduced." On that occasion Colonel Barttelot asked the hon. member not to divide the House. In the division, 17 voted for the motion, and 214 against. Mr. Read did not vote at all! A fortnight later (May 5th) the Central Chamber of Agriculture met at the Salisbury Hotel, and, on the motion of Mr. Hermann Biddle (Conservative) passed the following resolution by a large majority," That this Council has seen with surprise a surplus of six millions distributed by the Government without any attempt to reduce or repeal the Malt Tax," Mr. Read was present and said, "When he sat in that chamber there was no padlock on his lips () He confessed he was, as an agriculturist, disappointed at the Budget, but he was not surprised at it. Budgets, in the e days, were made to pass, as the razors sold in fairs were said to be made not to shavebat to sell " (!!) The Norwich Mercury, in a leading article says:Mr. Read, in his Norwich speech of Saturday last, is re ported to have said that the Liberals had allowed sugar to be used in brewing. He ought to have given either more or less information. To what period does he allude? The Act of 1854, in fixing the duty to be paid on malt, also fixed that to be paid on sugar, "in lieu of previous duties," so that the use of sugar in brewing was not then unknown. A return, moved for three weeks ago, by Mr. Watney, shows a steady increase in the use of sugar by brewers, from 1,790,000 lb. in 1856 to over nine millions in 1863. In the two following years, the consumption fell to 5 million lb., increased in 1866 to 10 millions, and in 1867 to 41 millions-the Conservatives then being in office! From that time the consumption has never been less than 294 millions. In 1873 there was an increased use going up to 63 millions; and since the present Govern ment has been in power the consumption has increased from that amount to 125 million lb. If it be so very wicked a thing to permit the use of sugar instead of malt, how comes it about that Mr. Read's friends in office have been so unmindful of what is due to the growers of barley? Mr. Read also makes a point, as, we note, have other Conservative candidates, of Mr. Disrael's proposal-December, 1852-to repeal one half of the Mait Tax. He, however, is silent on the fact that it was part of the same scheme to remove the then existing prohibition upon foreign malt, which was to be used on paying equal duty with English malt. And he also conveniently forgets that the proposa was not even fairly discussed by the House, the Ministry making the choice of battle to depend on their proposal to levy double duty on all houses and shops rented as low as £10. On that proposal and on that alone, was a vote taken. These facts do not warrant Mr. Read in his discreditable attempt to damage the Liberals in the opinion of Norfolk farmers. X THE FARMERS AND THE LIBERALS. The Spectator of Saturday last says: It is becoming very clear that the old fallacy, so triumphant hitherto at county elections, that the interests of landlords and farmers are identical, and that the farmers are best represented in Parliament by their landlords, is at last pretty well worn out. The proceedings and addresses of the Farmers' Alliance, and the appearance of tenant-farmers' candidates for various counties (who would have been more numerous, if the Dissolution had been put off till the autumn), alike give proof of this. The weather is that the farmers have remained under such a delusion so long. That there are points upon which legislation which profits the landowners profits also I their tenants is, of course, plain enough, and upon these points the landlords in Parliament have not shown themselves remiss. But how farmers could have been brought to believe that upon the vital questions of compensation for unexhausted improvements, of the Law of Distress, of game and game preservation, of the apportionment of rates between landlords and tenants, and of giving a voice to farmers in the expenditure of rates by County Boards, the legislation likely to be promoted by landlords could ever be really favourable to the interests of tenaxis, is a puzzle hard indeed to solve. However, six years of absolute landlord ascendancy, in both Houses of Parliament, have at last brought most intelligent farmers to the conclusion that the landlords they have sent to represent them have proved to be but as wolves set to guard the sheep. It would be unwise to over-estimate the gain (though, no doubt, there will be some considerable gain) to the Liberal cause at the present election, from this change of feeling smongst the farmers. Between the Liberals and the farmers there has hitherto been but little sympathy, and sympathy takes time to grow. Several of the tenant-farmer candidates now coming forward, as well as a large proportion of the promoters and members of the Farmers' Alliance, are, in general politics, staunch Conservatives. The Liberals, on their side, have hitherto taken much too little account of the farmers, looking on them as wholly wanting in independence, as too timid to fight for, even if not too sinpid to form any political creed of their own. In such a view there is purely much that is unjust, as well as much that is impolitic. The farmers -(at all events, now that the Ballot has given them for the first time independence)-are, at the worst, not so politically hopeless as some other portions of the community, say, for instance, as the thousand common-place middle-class electors in and round London, who, without any political aspirations whatever of their own, vote steadily for the Conservatives, either because they fancy it more genteel or fashionable, not to say aristocratic, or because in their eyes patriotism is mostly an affair of fighting, and they think it traitorous to discountenance even such wretched and inglorious wars as those in Zaluland and Afghanistan. In the main, farmers could hot have a better guide to what is practicable in the way of legislation for the relief of agriculture, or to what the Liberal party can and ought to help them in, than in the series of "Questions to be put to Candidates," drawn up and circulated by the Farmers' Alliance. Both with a view to the coming elections, and still more if we extend our view somewhat beyond these elections, we would earnestly impress upon all Liberal county electors the wisdom and importance of cordially lending a helping hand, whenever posible, to the farmers. Liberals cannot, of course, endanger the seat of a Liberal candidate for the sake of a Conservative tenant-farmer, but this seems the only reservation needed. As between a candidate of the type of the Conservative majority in the late House of Commons and a Conservative tenant-farmer, there should be no hesitation whatever in giving hearty support to the latter. Let Liberals reflect that if the numerical majority of tenant-farmers are still Conservatives, the active and leading minds amongst them are, in their ntter disappointment at the action of the Parliament just diesolved, fast gravitating towards Liberalism, that upon the opinious of the intelligent leaders will ultimately depend the opinions of the general body, and especially of the new generation of farmers, and we think they will see good reason to believe that, in the elegant phrase newly introduced into our language, the Liberal party have every possible motive to "consolidate co-operation" with the farmers, WOODBRIDGE HORSE SHOW. The Woodbridge annual show was held recently, on Mr. J. Gront's Fair Field. There were nine silver cups of the "Woodbridge Horse Show" pattern. The judges were, Cart Horse Classes, Mr. J. A. Hempson, Erwarton Hall; Mr. James Toller, Blaxhall Hall. Riding Horse Classes: Mr. Hervey A. Oakes, Hill House Stowmarket; Mr. Richard Garrett, Carleton Hall, Saxmundham. Class 1.-Best Suffolk cart stallion, above three years old.— 1st (silver cup, value £10), Cupbearer the 3rd, Mr. Richard Garrett, Carlton Hall, Saxmundham; 2nd (silver cup, value £5), Ben, Mr. M. Biddell, Payford. Commended, Raglan, Mr. John Grout, Woodbridge. This was a large class 16 entries. The first prize was taken by Cupbearer the 3rd, who stood far above all the rest of the class in point of merit. The second prize went to Ben, who has so often entered the ring against Cupbearer the 3rd. The next horse that seemed most to please the spectators was Champion, belonging to Mr. Jos. Balls, of Rushmere. CLASS II.-Best Suffolk cart stallion, three years old and under.-1st (silver cup, value £8) Chieftain, Mr. Samuel Wolton; 2nd (silver cup, value £4), Rodney, Mr. M. Biddell. The Cupbearer blood was most prominent in the ring, and was selected at once as showing more bone and substance than the others. Three were specially selected. One was Chieftain, the property of Mr. Samuel Wolton, by Cupbearer 2nd, and consequently half brother to Richard Garrett's ce'ebrated horse. Chieftain is a particularly good-looking colt, deep in his girth, but was thought to bo a little too high off the ground. He has, however, hard flat legs and capital feet, but is rather cut away in his thighs. However, as he is a descendant from the celebrated Moggy stock, he will undoubtedly grow into a grand horse some day. The second horse was Rodney, belonging to Mr. M. Biddell, a son of Cupbearer 3rd, and is a wonderful constitution colt, on remark. ably short legs, which, however, are not so hard and flat as the winner's. He is a trifle long in his back and short in his hind quarters. The third horse was Zulu, also by Cupbearer 3rd, and the property of Mr. Richard Garrett. He is a very smart colt, and moves the best of the three, but looks a trifle low in the back, and does not stand quite so firm on his legs. SWEEPSTAKES of 10s. each, with £3 added as a 1st prize, and £2 as a 2nd prize, for Suffolk cart stallions, 2 years old and under.-1st, Vanguard, Mr. W. Wilson; 2nd, Edward the First, Mr. John Grout. The best of his class was thought by many to be Oriental, the property of Mr. Horace Wolton, but he went lame. CLASS III.-Best thoroughbred stallion.-1st (silver cup valne 8), Falliero, his Grace the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, K.T. 2d (ilver cup, value £4), Greenback, his Grace the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, K T. His Grace the Duke of Hamilton and Mr. John Grout had two each, Those belonging to Mr. John Grout were only two-year-olds, which stood but little chance against the well-furnished aged horse of the Duke of Hamilton, and consequently the first prize went to Faliero, and the second to Greenback. CLASS IV.-Best Hackney Stallion.-1st (silver cup, value £8), Black Prince the 2nd, Mr. John Grout; second (silver cup value £4), Little John, Mr. John Grout. The hackney stallions were not so high a class as usual. The judges gave their opinions more from the standing position than from action. There were seven entries and only two exhibitors, Mr. John Grout and Jos. Flintham, Aldborough Hal latter had one out of seven showed, a very smart good-looking horse of Phosphorus strain. He promises to be as fine a geer as his sire, bat as he stood nearly 16 h.h., the judges thought he would be better adapted for the coaching class than for hackneys. He seemed a great favourite with the outsiders, The CLASS V.-Best Coaching Stallion.-ist (silver cup, value £6), Dalesman, Mr. John Grout. The coaching stallions Dumbered only three, and all Mr. Grout's, the first prize going to a grand-looking roan, a descendant of the celebrated Dalesman.-Norwich Mercury. AN EXPENSIVE GOVERNMENT. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MARK LANE EXPRESS. SIR, I will not ask to intrude mach on the valuable space of your widely-read journal, but I hope you will allow me to remind you that the English farmer has now to compete with all the world, and that for him to do so successfully two things are essential-cheap land and cheap government (or, in other words, low rates and taxes). For land farmers are paying annually in this country per acre for rent about double the amount that land of similar quality can be bought for in America, and many will no doubt see it to be their interest to pay half the amount in purchase rather than to continue to pay yearly double the amount of purchase for rent. Cheap government, I fear, we are not likely to have under the present Ministry. In the early days of their career, in making their financial arrangement for purchase of shares in the Suez Canal, they paid for £4,000,000 of money at the rate of 15 per cent. per annum, while traders and others were at the same time discounting at the rate of 24 per cent. per annum, and they have quite recently proposed to pay thirty millions for shares in water companies, the value of the whole of which on the market was seventeen millious. Extravagance appears to attend all their arrangements. From 1869 to 1873 the average Government expenditure was seventy millions annually. Under the present Government it rose in 1875 to £74.000 000, 1876 10 £76 000;000, 1877 to £78,000,000, 1878 to £82,000,000, 1879 to £85,000,000: The present Government inherited a surplus of £5 000,000, they have aided £7,000,000 to our taxes, and they come before the country with a deficit of £8,000,000. When in opposition we heard much from the Conservatives about relieving the landed interest. Since they have been in power this subject has been prohibited. Put them over to the other side of the House, and we may hope their interest for the farmers will be quickly revived. We shall then no doubt again hear something of the Malt Tax. I am, Sir, &c., ONE WHO HAS FARMED. BUT WHO IS GLAD TO SAY HE FARMS NO LONGER. pit under it), I turned on my jet, as from a fire engine, and in a few minutes they were all washed clean and refreshed, and would rub their skins as clean as the back of my hand. A fresh lot, coming in from market dirty, were soon cleaned under a shower of 60 gallons per minute. Tho e who prefer putting a little straw on the boards in winter can do so-the arine will still run through, and the air circulates, which is the great desideratum. Boarded floors have been long used tage of the practice. in Essex for fattening calves, experience proving the advan Almost all animals do best on sparred floors-from a bullock to a rabbit. They greatly economice our straw, and set it free for market or for food. It is lamen-table to see pig mismanagement. Burrowing in manure, getting heated, and then by exposure catching cold and lung. disease (heaves) or lever, Pigs are gross feeders, and soon poison a non-circulating atmosphere. The labourer's pig, being alone, escapes the danger of close company, and cosequent poisoned atmosphere.. I have fattened hundreds of cattle on sparred fidors. without a particle of straw or any sweeping of floors, the excreta all passing between the spars to the pit under them.. I once had twelve white cattle on these spars from the time they were six months old until sold fat at two years old, and they were always clean and healthy. In fact, from calves until full-grown for the butcher, my cattle were constantly on sparred floors. They always fattened as quickly and grew as well as those on straw or covered yards, and were especially healthy.. This system of sparred floors is a most important one where straw is dear and scarce, also where the excreta are washed. on to the land by sewage, and particularly as a prevention of disease. Sparred floors economise much labour.. It is well to put animals on them when young. I have fattened sheep on them very successfully. Sheep require more ventilation than hiry animals. It is worth nothing that sheep on straw under cover do not get foot-rot, and can do with little straw but in open yards, exposed to rainfall, they will get bad fert unless very frequently littered. Urine does not rot their feet. When farmers give up the belief that Mr. Mechi is a mere theorist, it will be better for their pockets, and then I shall be much gratified. The opening between the spars may be ccording to the size of the animals; a quarter inch of open-ing would permit tree circulation of air; one and a half inch is a good size for cat.le.-J. J. MECHI. HEALTHY PIGS. I offen read with regret, but not surprise, of diseased pigs -and know, from extensive experience, that it is avoidable. For some years I kept large numbers, unti', owing to their proximity to the house, they became a nuisance to my growi-g-tamily. But, although I hd so many, and so closely packed, they were exceptionally healthy-and I will now give reasons for their being so. I was frequently told that owing to my having so many (some 200) there would be disease, but If it perfectly enre it would not be so, seeing the cause for disease was not present. Pigs have a desire to huddle together, and they thus create putrescent atmosphere, especially if on soft straw; and that is why farmers prefer strong reedy wheat straw, frequently changed, to admit air under them. In my case they were always on sparred wooden floors, the spars being three inches wide, with an interval between each spar, and a.deep pit under them, so that the change of temperature caused by the heat of their bodies and their breathing is continually crculating and changing the atmosphere around, under, and above them-there should be, of course, escape openings for the heated.air in the upper part of the stye or shed. There can thus be no stagnataion of air-so fatal to man and beast. In cold weather they may be very closely packed or enclosed, as they have no woollen jacket, and have Lo long and strong bristles, like the logs of cold countries. Of course the urine all falls between the spars, and the solid they generally deposit in one corner. In hot, summer weather I was most successful in fattening Hogs, without fear of fever (frequently so destructive). In a aled that would hold forty or fity (parred flour, with deep then, Down ELECTION HUMOUR AND REPARTEE.-Sometimesa happy repartee has been known to win a vote even from the most stolid of voters. For example, the late Sir Henry Smith, who was for many years member for Colchester, when cas. vassing in person on one occasion, asked a big, dull-looking Essex farmer for his vote. The farmer was a fine specimen of mingled bucolic independence and thick headedness, renowned, too, for his brusqueness, and he said b'untly, "I'd vote for you, Sir Henry, as usual, caly folks tell me you're such a fool." "Fool, am I " retorted Sir Henry; my good sir, I'm the very man to represent you eame the farmer's heavy hand upon Sir Henry's shoulder as he exclaimed, with a hearty laugh, "Come, I'm gormed if that aren't a good un! Your'e not such a fool as I thowt; and you shall have my vote, here's following anecdote is told of Lord Aberdeen and the way in my hand upon it.". -The which he suppressed au o'jecti nable elector. M. Guizor, was on a visit to Haddo House, the seat of Lord Aberdeen, and was walking in the park with host one day discussing the English system of election. All at once Lord Aberdeen stoppe before a cottage of very modest appearance. kuow," said he, "that this small house recalls to my mind a "Do you great shame in my political life." "An set of violence ?! asked M. Guizot.. "Hear the story and judge for yourself I had in that cottage as tenant an independent fellow who annoyed me horribly; in every election contest he sytematically opposed me. I made up mind to get rid of him." "Ah, and you turned him out ?" "No; I reduced his rent by one guinea, and destroyed his qualification to vote. A mean device, was it not ? and I've been beartily ashamed of it, ever. since."-The General Election. THE DEFINITION OF LODGINGS.-A sleek individual (says an American paper) with his seedy coat buttoned up to the chin, and having the appearance of a statesman in impecunious circumstances, unlatched the police station-house door, walked over to the stove, and picking ont the easiest chair, sank into it with the air of a man who felt that he was of importance to the world. After toasting his shins and warming the soles of his feet, he arose, and turning his back to the stove, placed his hands under his coat-tails, spread his feet apart, and viewed his surroundings with great satisfaction. The door was again opened by a hesitating hand, and a tramp with a dejected countenance shuffled up to the railings and muttered that he wanted lodgings. The station-keeper was about to enrol the new comer's name among the legion of tramps who had had lodgings before him, when the man at the sove cleared his throat. Then he paused and remarked, “Lodgings! Do you know, my friend, of what lodgings consist? Do you know the legal definition of lodgings?" The tramp murmured that all he wanted was a place to lie down until morning; but the man at the stove, not heeding the interruption, withdrew one of his hands from beneath his coat tail, and describing a graceful parabola in the air with it, proceeded-" Do you know that the word lodgings' has been clearly defined, interpreted, and ex plained, so that no mistake can be made in the meaning of the term? It has. When a traveller drops into a stationhouse, and asks for lodgings, what does he get? He is perm tted to perch on a bench all night, and wait till the janitor comes in the morning and turns him out into the street. Is this lodgings? The law says no." The dejected tramp brightened up a little as the crator proceeded, and he dropped his little bundle and opened his month in wonder. "In the case of Skimmerhorn versus Buglehorn," continued the man at the stove, a case which I had the honour to decide when I was on the bench-the opinion of the court was tha the law requireo the station-houses to furnish lodgings; anu, as to lodgings, the opinion was that lodgings means a warm place by the stove until such a time as the lodger desires to rere; some one to look after your biggage, a feather bed with clean >heets and three quilts, and some one to blacken your boots in the morning. That's the law, gentlemen. If you go to an hotel and pay for Iolgings, would you consider that you had received lodgings, if the clerk put you out in the cellar and gave you a corner of a bench to sleep on ? No, sir; you would demand your money back, and any court in the land would sustain you. Now, lodging is lodging, whether it is in an hotel or in a station-house. Law, majestic law, that holds the universe together, interposes and says what lodging mears." The dejected look had now left the tramp's face, and as the last words dropped from the mouth of the man at the stove, he shuffled over to him and grasped him by the hand, looking up to him as a great benefactor. Then he shuffled back to the rail, and throwing his bundle upon the desk, remarked to the station-keeper: "Look here, Cully, I guess "What ?" "I want lodgings I will stay here to-night," -do you understand ? and you can't fool me, I want a bed. You had better hustle around and shake up a bed for me while I sit down and warm myself." And the tramp drew a chair up to the stove and proceeded to divest himself of his shoes. The station-keeper smiled a strange smile as he started upstairs. The tramp shouted after him, "Be a little careful of the sheets, Cully, for I am very particular about the sheets; and, mind you, tell the boy to be gentle with these shoes when he blacks them, for they are a little shaky." There was a noise of feet on the stairway, and the stationkeeper returned. He was accompanied by two policemen. The station-keeper stood over the tramp and remarked, "He wants a bed." There was a momentary st.uggle, and a hurrying toward the door, aud the next moment the tramp was landed with his bundle in the middle of the street. yelled back at the officers, "Yes, I want a bed ?" And the door was closed. The sleek expounder of the law then moved up to the rail, had his name put down in the book, and as he stretched himself on the bench in the lodgers' room, it is reported he chuckled several times and remarked, "The born tools are still quite numerous." He PRESERVATION OF THE TEETH.-Mr. G. H. Jones of 57, Great Russell Street, London, one of the most eminent and experienced of our surgeon-dentists, has issued a little pamphlet in four languages, as an accompaniment to his Iu it he says elegant Guinea Cabiuet of dental preparations. -That "Prevention is better than cure" is universally WAITS FROM THE WATER-BUTT. TO DAY'S HAUL. "Companies which have only pecuniary gain for their object may continue to provide a commodity so pollated by organic matter as to be unfit for drinikng or cooking."Times. Is that Analytical Chemist in the cistern P I am afraid the Teetotaller will not get through the night. This paper is a summons for the water-rate. character. You may show in the Coroner. TO-MORROW'S. "But the Water Trust will fail signally to realise expecta tions if it does not make a great change for the better. The ratepayers will demand at its hands pure water for household purposes, and a supply abundant enough for all the exigencies of the largest city in the world.”—Times. This is the best cascade on the terrace. I have sent the whole of the champagne to the Lunatic Why does the filter-maker jump off Waterloo Bridge ? It is quite pleasant to see the death-rate steady at 13-01 per 1,000. What do you say to seven warm baths a week? Ah! here is the good old Water-Rate Collector. Heaven bless him!-Punch. REVIEW OF THE CORN TRADE. From The Mark Lane Express, for the week ending March 29. Owing to the prevalence of unusually keen March winds, the temperature has been low during the past week, and little or no rain has fallen. In its general characteristics the weather has undergone little change, a succession of bright sunny days having proved of incalculable benefit to the country. The power of the sun having been tempered by the cold wind, vegetation has not been unduly forced, but a steady advance has been perceptible, which augurs well for the future development of all agricultural produce. Such a favourable spring as the present has not been experienced in this country for many years past, and should the weather prove equally seasonable during the next two months farmers may justly anticipate abundance where they had recently to lament scarcity. Spring tillage, favoured by sunshine and uninterrupted by showers, has made most satisfactory progress, barley sowing especially having been accomplished under conditions seldom vouchsafed to growers of this delicate cereal. In the southern counties it may be said that the sosing of spring corn is rapidly approaching completion, and only a few weeks more of such fine weather as we are now experiencing is wanted to secure an unsurpassed seed time to the United Kingdom. Scotland being colder, is, of course, more backward; but even there ploughing is forward, and great preparations are being made for the sowing of oats and the planting of potatoes. A marked improvement in the condition of English wheat has been another benefit conterred by the day, bright weather, but of course nothing could improve the quality, which is in most cases is wretched, the grain light, shrivelled, and discoloured, and greatly deficient in milling properties. The deliveries throughout the kingdom have been on the most meagre scale, and if any proof were wanting of the desperately poor outcone of last season's crop it would be found in the fact that, during the period elapsed since last harvest, farmers have delivered nearly 3,000,000 qrs. less than they did during the corresponding time in 1878.9. This great scarcity at home has rendered holders very tenacious of the little really sound wheat to be had, and a further advance of 1s. per qr. has taken place in Beveral important country markets. The improvement has not, however, been felt at Mark Laue, where the quantity of sound native wheat on offer has been very small, and the attention of millers directed almost exclusively to foreign. A review of the trade in London during the past week can be given in few words. In face of rapidly diminishing stocks and unusually light arrivals to replace them, a decidedly improved consumptive demand has been experienced for all varieties of foreign wheat, but it has only been a demand at former prices, any inclination on the part of holders to raise their pretensions having been strenuously resisted by buyers. The operations of millers at the beginning of the week were on a somewhat extensive scale, but this was probably due to the fact that with the arrival of the Easter holidays two market days would be lost, and so, while carrying ont their reserved policy of hand-to-mouth purchases, freer buyers for the time became necessary. With regard to the future the position remains unchanged. America clings to her reserves in spite of a lower tendency in prices in New York and little encouragement from this side; but it must be admitted that she has hitherto played a waiting game well, and one which it is not improbable inay be rewarded ere long with some measure of 8 Recess. A noteworthy feature in last week's list of inports was the large proportion in which the arrivals rom Germany figured. Out of a total supply of 37,637 qrs. no less than 21,000 qrs. were from German ports, a fact of considerable significance as indicating the willing. ness of the nations who have wheat to spare, and who are not au fait at formation of “rings" to send their produce to the London market at the present rates ruling therein. With regard to maize, the supply on spot was practically nil, and quotations are consequently nominal. As there is little near at hand the tendency of prices continues upwards, but buyers are extremely chary of making "long shots," or, in other words, buying corn for future shipment, as present prices are far too high to warrant such operations, with America's large crop in the background. Oats improved 6d. to 1s. per gr. on Monday last, an advance which they have since maintained, supplies being unusually light, and in the present scarcity of maize any reduction in the price of feeding corn is nalikely. consequent loss of two markets the attendance of buyers Owing to the near approach of the Easter holidays and and country millers at Mark Lane on Monday last was unusually large, and increased activity prevailed in all branches of the grain trade. The supplies of foreign to exercise any depressive effect upon prices, while the wheat were quite moderate and insufficient of themselves imports of other articles were on a quite a small scale. Holders of wheat showed much firmness, but as they did not raise their limits millers were coutent to operate with indicated a marked improvement in the consumptive a considerable amount of freedon, so that the day's sales demand, previous prices being well maintained. The week's deliveries of English wheat amounted to 2,978 qrs., and the supply fresh up on factors' stan ls was again very small. Owing to the fine dry weather the condition of the majority of the aanples were satisfactory; but the uneven and in many cases very inferior. quality was Such parcels as were suitable for milling purposes met a ready sale at the full currencies of the previous Monday, but there was a good deal of inferior produce left unsold at the end of the day. Of foreigu the arrivals amounted to 37.637 qrs., of which quantity Germany contributed 21,000 qrs., and America 13,024 qrs., the remainder being from Australia and the East Indies. There was an active consumptive demand, chiefly from country, millers, and a large quantity of wheat changed hands albeit without appreciate advance in value. The exports were 1,766 qrs, against 4,472 qrs. in the preceding week. There were 2,717 qrs. of home-giown Barley and 15,101 qrs. of foreign. Quotations were nominally unchanged, but the trade was exceedingly dull for both malting and grinding sorts. Maize, of which the imports were 6,368 qrs. and the exports 581 qrs., was without quotable alteration, and as the supplies had all been sold before arrival the market was bare of mixed American on spot. To arrive prices were again higher, and, with very little close at hand, 27s. 6d. per 550lb. was the closing quotation. A more active demaad was experienced for oats, and sellers succeeded in establishing an advance of 6d. to Is. per qr. on the week, owing to the unusually light imports, which only amounted to 4,573 yrs. On wheat, and 4,750 qrs. of foreign. The steadiness of Wednesday the return showed 200 qrs. of home-grown Monday was maintained as far as prices were concerned,. but the market was thinly attended, and little business was done either in wheat or feeding corn. The imports of flour into the United Kingdom for the week ending March 20th were 162,057 cwt., against 161,616 cwt. in the previous week. The receipts into London were 16,458 sacks of English and 6,618 sacks and 53 barrels of foreign. The best sorts of country made have met a rather better inquiry, but quotations. have not varied. Foreign flour, both sack and barrel, hae |