The Brecon County Times Neath Gazette and General Advertiser for the Counties of Brecon Carmarthen Radnor Monmouth Glamorgan Cardigan Montgomery Hereford

» BUILTH. PETTY SESSIONS, MONDAY, Nov. 30, before JAS. YAUGHAN and THOMAS WILLIAMS, Esqrs. TRESPASSING IN PURSUIT OF GAME. Charles Jenkins, of the parish of Llanwrtyd, labourer, was charged by Samuel Waters, keeper to Miss Thomas, of Llwynmadog, with being in search of game on certain lands, the property of his mistress, on Sunday, the 13th inst. Mr. William Powell, of Fronrhydd, a tenant of Miss Thomas's, proved the case, and the defendant was fined Is. and costs, 12s. 6d. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, before JAMES VAUGHAN, Esq. A DESERTER.—Enoch Jones, a general dealer by trade, and who formerly resided in this town, was brought up in custody of the police, charged with being a deserter from the Royal Carmarthenshire Artillery Militia.-Sergeant Flye deposed that from information he received from the commanding officer of the above regiment he apprehended the prisoner in this town on Monday last, and charged him with being a deserter from the above regiment, which he admitted was the case. The prisoner now pleaded guilty, and his worship fined him 22 and costs, or two months' imprisonment. The prisoner was committed, in default of payment, to Radnorshire gaol. MONDAY, December 7th, before JAS. VAUGHAN, Esq. FOND OF BEER.—Mr. William Thomas, of Pen- blane, Aberedw, charged John Dakins and Richard Williams, two of his servants, with breaking and entering his cellar, and drinking and wasting a quan- tity of beer, on the night of the 3rd instant. Mr. Thomas said he had no wish to press the charge. He thought the prisoners had been pretty well punished, having been locked up since Friday morn- ing.—After receiving a severe reprimand from his worship, they were discharged, and, it is to be hoped, wiser if not better men.

« TALGARTH. POPULAR REA.DINGs.-The third of the series of these readings for this season was held at the British Schoolroom, in this town, on Tuesday evening last. Dr. Jones, of Trevecca Cottage, in the chair. Sub- joined is the programme Pianoforte Solo Miss C. Price Reading-" The death of the little scholar" Mr. Stephens Song—" Come with me to fairy land" Miss Carpenter Reading-" The Jackdaw of Rheims" Dr. Jones Pianoforte Duet Miss C. Price and Miss Carpenter Reading—"The village blacksmith," "There's a good time coming, boys"Mr. Farrow. gong-" Down the deep bright river" Miss Price Reading-" Misfortunes of an early marriage.Mr. J. Thomas Song-" Maggie's secret" Miss Carpenter Reading. Mr. Stephens Song-" The Brook Miss J. C. Carpenter Finale—" God save the Queen."

PETTY SESSIONS, WEDNESDAY, before the Rev. H. BOLD and W. PERROTT, Esq. KEEPING DOGS WITHOUT LICENsE,-Evan Morris, of the Cappel, Llangorse, and Thomas Jones, of Rhydybont, shepherd, were summoned by the officer of excise for keeping dogs without license during the months of August and September last.—The charges were proved by P.S. Wilson, and defendants were each fined in the mitigated penalty of 25s. TURNPIKE ACT OFFFNcr, Walter Lewis, of Penlan, Radnorshire, was summoned by P.S. Wilson for using his gambo without having his name upon it, on the turnpike road in the parish of Aberllynfy, on the 27th ultimo.-P.C. Smart proved the charge, and defendant was ordered to pay the costs, 5s. NON-PAYMENT OF RA.TEs.-Lewis Edwards, of Talgarth, woodman, was summoned by W. Morgan, of Bronllis, collector, for non-payment of poor rates, amounting to 9s. 5d.—The case was settled out of court, on payment of arrears and costs, amounting to 13s. 5d. KEEPING SHORT MEASURES.— William Jones, of the Castle Inn alehouse in this town, was summoned by David Evans, inspector of weights and measures, for keeping two measures representing two pints deficient in measure.—This being the first offence of this kind against the defendant, the case was dis- missed on payment of costs, 5s.

NEATH BOARD OF GUARDIANS AND THEIR MEDICAL OFFICER. To the Editor of the BRECON COUNTY TIMES and NEATH GAZETTE. SIR,-I reluctantly address you again; but as the impression that I was instrumental in causing the publication, in your number of the 7th November ult., of my letter addressed to the Neath Board of Guar- dians is very prevalent, I should esteem it a favour if you would allow this contradiction to appear in your next issue. My letter in question was a private one addressed to the Board of Guardians, in my capacity of medical officer of that Board, and, having been read in the ordinary course of business, was published with other matters discussed at that meeting, and I had nothing whatever to do in promoting the subsequent publication of it.—I am, Sir, yours obliged, JOHN RUSSELL. Neath, December 7th, 1868.

THE RIVER USK AND THE CANAL COMPANY. To the Editor of the BRECON COUNTY TIMES. SIR,-Some friends having kindly offered me, while at Brecon, to show me all worth seeing regarding the river, I bethought me of the vexed question of the Usk and its connection with the Brecon and Aber- gavenny and the Monmouth Canals. Having read the Act of 1793, and heard all that is to be said pro and con. respecting the proceedings of the company, I am decidedly of opinion that a more monstrous exercise of a presumed power, and an infringement of the law, has scarcely ever been committed by a public body. The feeder at Newton weir, just above Brecon, is three feet three inches deep, and three feet four inches wide, and it is so ingeniously placed and so artfully con- structed in the direct set of the current, following a deep bed, that when the river is but half full, the river—at almost right angles to the feeder-can get but a very small allowance of water; and when really low, the culvert, like a greedy mouth, engulphs all, letting only a small portion escape, as it were, over one of its corners. In a word, the main stream is at times only traceable through this feeder, and the Usk proper is proper no more, the artificial cut having assumed its place. I walked some way down these canals, visiting several portions of them, and became more and more convinced of the truths contained in your correspon- dent, Mr. Lloyd's letter of September 12th; for along the banks of this aquatic blood- sucker I found the entrance to pipes, which the clearness of the water allowed me to inspect, to supply works, &c., near the canal. Upon inquiry I was told that seldom more than four barges a day, two only being laden, pass over that canal yet this fact is almost beyond credence. The lock-keeper receives orders not only to keep the canal at. its normal height at all hazard, but to raise up the paddles for hours together to supply the lower basins and Newport docks. Here, then, without the excuse of especial emergency—for surely the existing railways can take the freight of these two barges a day—is the canal to be permitted, for the sake of private interests, to con- vert itself into a Water Company, a trade that was never meditated by the Act, and the following out of which does so grievous a wrong ? It is urged on the Canal side, that last season was an exceptional one. True,—but it is against exceptions all prudent people have to provide. A dishonest man may plead an exceptional low state of his funds for purloining his neighbour's purse, and go to the extent of spilling blood in the attempt to assert his implied right, but would that plea of exception be admitted ? This is no extreme parallel, for here the Canal Company not only drew upon the banks of the Usk until its supplies -got as low as it was almost possible they could be, but it had the audacity-as there was a trickle of life still passing down the small salmon gap -to give the coup de grace to the expiring river by stopping up this outlet. How important then does the question become, whether nature is thus to go on playing second fiddle to the extent of its own extermination for the sake of an extremely attenuated traffic, ignoring in its selfish interests the picturesque, the piscatorial, and the healthful resources of a splendid river like the Usk, and, too, in the face of an Act of Parliament, which, if read by the light of common sense, is actually framed to provide against this especial mischief, its powers being only secondary, and without prejudice with the supply of water to mills, houses, and lands. The expression to me of an old frequenter of the Usk who saw her lying dying in her bed last season, was scarcely an exaggeration: "I assure you, when I saw the Usk in the abject, stagnant, neglected, and dirty state it presented last summer, I had more water running down my cheeks than escaped over Newton weir." GREVILLE F.

GAS (No. 3).—HOW IT IS MADE. To the Editor of the BRECON COUNTY TIMES and NEATH GAZETTE. DEAR Siiz,-In my last letter I stated that all the substances used for lighting purposes were compounds of hydrogen and carbon, and I gave instances of the great variety of forms in which these substances pre- sent themselves. It must not, however, be thought that all this class of substances are simple combinations of the two elements only. On the contrary, coal, with which I shall principally have to deal in these letters, is formed by the combination of hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulphur, associated with earthy matters from which clay and iron are seldom absent. Fortunately, however, arsenic is never present. Water is always found in mechanical combination with the coal, however dry it may appear to be to the senses of sight and touch. The average specific gravity of 20 samples of Welsh coal was 1'23, water being 1'. That is, a piece of coal occupying the same space as would be occupied by l,0001bs. weight of water, weighed 1,230 lbs. The quantities of sulphur in these coals varied from 21bs. to 1141bs. per ton. Of 36 samples of Lanca- shire, Newcastle, Irish, and Scotch coals the specific gravity ranged from 1'2 to 1'59, and the quantities of sulphur ranged from 81bs. to lollbs. per ton of coal. The success of the manufactures of the products obtainable by the distillation of coal depends upon the instability of the present arrangement of the consti- tuent element in the presence of heat; and in the fact that there is no such thing as the absolute destruction of any substance. The action of heat when applied to coal is to derange the existing order of the combination of its elements by setting them free from each other, when they instantly avail themselves of the opportunity thus given to re- combine in new forms, producing new substances. This is done either by re-combining the whole of the original elements, or a part of them, within themselves only— in the latter case leaving one or more of the original constituents perfectly free; or at the moment of de- composition other substances with which they are then in contact also become decomposed, and the original elements of the first decomposed substance enter into chemical affinity with one or other of those of the second decomposed substance—(this will be shown more clearly, and be illustrated, when I describe the process of, and changes effected by, combustion). The result of these dissolutions and re-combinations is the forma- tion of a series of new substances, which may or may not have forms and characters bearing some similarity to the character of the original substance from which they have been obtained; or, it may be, so totally different as to have nothing in common. Take, for instance, coal—well known to everybody as a hard dry substance, requiring the application of considerable force to break it up and, when broken, always sepa- rating into fragments, presenting the same definite forms. From this, the gas maker and his allies in the manipulation of coal, and of the residuals arising from the manufacture of gas, obtain:— Coir, a solid substance, differing from the original coal only in its having had abstracted from it the whole of the volatile matters, and nearly half the sulphur it originally contained. Tar.—Say 10 gallons per ton of coal, A thick viscid substance, useful in its raw state for coarse painting, and for making asphalt. Ammoniacal Liquor.—Say 20 gallons per ton of coal. Useful for its fertilizing properties, and its offensiveness to insect life. Gas.—An invisible vapour. In varying quantities, used for lighting and heating purposes and by calico printers, for fixing certain colours, so as to enable the fabric to be washed without losing the pattern; by hardware manufacturers and japanners, for soldering by gold and silversmiths, for melting metals; and by dentists, in making artificial teeth. The residual products arising from the manufacture of gas—that is, the tar and ammoniacal liquor-is usually sold to manufacturing chemists; the refuse lime to farmers. The chemists obtain from the tar by distillation, at temperatures varying from 200 degrees to 340 degrees Fahrenheit, Crude Naptha, having a specific gravity of about 0.920. Then, the temperature being raised to 700 degrees, a second product is obtained, which is slightly heavier than water, its specific gravity being 1-060-hence the name of heavy or dead oil. The next product following that is soft pitch. The distilla- tion being still continued at a higher heat, a preen oil flows over, which is largely used in the preparation of railway grease. Then after that comes a pitch, which on cooling becomes hard. A residue, after all, is left in the still, for which it is difficult to devise an useful application. The Crude Kaptha is the fluid referred to in my last letter as largely used for burning at fairs and market grounds, where gas is not available for use. In Scot- land it is also used in a peculiarly formed lamp, for lighting foundries, ship-yards, and other large open workshops.; Burned in the proper manner, an enormous volume of flame is produced, giving a light equal to at least a dozen gas jets, said to be at a cost of about one penny per hour. It is also used for making Black Varnish, and it may, by a simple contrivance, be used so as largely to increase the illuminating power of common coal gas. Crude Naptha, by being distilled with steam, and treated with sulphuric acid, i.e. oil of vitriol, produces benzole for burning in lamps. Clear rectified naptha. for making painters' and furniture makers' varnishes. Solvent naptha for dissolving shellac, for hat manufac- turers, or gutta percha and India rubber for the manu- facture of water-proof clothing, and for other purposes for which those substances are used. The Dead or Heavy oil, commonly called Creosote, the second process of the distillation of coal tar, is used for preparing railway sleepers and other timbers, to prevent their decaying on exposure to wet or to the atmosphere. Timber thoroughly saturated with this substance is as durable as stone. It is also used in the preparation of a dip for washing sheep. Probably its use for raising steam on board of steam-ships will be much extended. It has already been shewn that when forced into the furnace of a ship's boiler, in the form of spray, under the pressure of steam or of compressed air, its heating powers are 2-t- or 3 times as great as coal; ami also, at the present prices ci the oil, it is less expensive than coal for raising steam. When rectified it is an elegant preparation for preserving meat. A tea-spoonful put on apiece of filtering paper, and placed near to a joint of meat, will preserve it sweet for several days of the hottest summer; mix it with water, and wash or dip the joint into the preparation, and the smoked flavour, so agreeable to many palates, is obtained. This dead oil, if distilled with steam, produces paraffin oil, which being rectified with sulphuric acid produces paraffin, a hard substance in appearance very much like white wax. From this paraffin a very superior description of candles are made, which are more moderate in price, give out a larger quantity of light, and are healthier to use than candles made either of sperm or wax. This particular quality of naptha, which is obtained by the distillation of tar at a temperature of from 300 degrees to 400 degrees, and which has a specific gravity of 0-900 when it is treated with caustic potash and sul- phuric acid, produces carbolic acid, the most powerful antiseptic and disinfectant known. Dr. Letheby in 1866 reported to the Commissioners of Sewers, London, that he, as officer of health for the city of London, had employed carbolic acid by mixing it with water in the proportion of one gallon of acid to 2,000 gallons of water, sprinkling the mixture on the streets and pave- ments by the water carts employed in the usual manner; that he observed that on its getting into the sewers the usual decomposition of sewage was arrested, and that there was no putrefactive odours, attended with the evolution of offensive gases. From carbolic acid there is obtained by the use of sulphuric acid and chloride of lime a substance which has the appearance of camphor. It is useful for medi- cinal purposes, being a powerful caustic when applied to the skin. it produces a white mark, and raises a painless blister. I trust that ladies will not be annoyed by now learning that from the foetid residual products of gas manufacture there are also obtain-ed several substances, employed to flavour and colour con fectionery, and in the preparation of some of their choicest and most elegant perfumes. From the ammoniacal liquor, sulphates and muriates of ammonia are obtained. These substances are em- ployed in the preparation of artificial manures. The raw liquor, as it comes from the gas works, if mixed with a small portion of quick lime, and then passed through a sieve, is eminently useful for saving time, labour, and expense in washing plain clothes. t:> I might have considerably extended the list of pro- ducts known to be obtainable by the distillation of coal, and of the bye products arising from those processes-a list which is continually extending by the addition of new discoveries but I have sufficiently shewn that by differences of internal arrangement the same elements are continually presenting themselves in new sub- stances, ministering to or creating new wants, and adding new conveniences. It will not have escaped the notice of the careful reader that the characters of the various new sub- stances obtained from bituminous coal, by the addition of heat, varies very greatly with the intensity of the heat applied when that does not exceed 700 degrees Fahr., little or no change is produced beyond the dissipation of the physical moisture in mechanical combination with the coal. At a temperature of 773 degrees, the melting point of zinc, chemical moisture exudes, attended with an empyreumatic odour. Raise the temperature to 980 degrees, the dull red heat of iron in the dark, and the chemical changes are set in motion by the liberation of oxygen, which, combining with hydrogen, produces water, and also, separately combin- ing with carbon, produces carbonic acid gas. At about this temperature there is also produced various spiritu- ous compounds, containing large proportions of oxygen; these are capable of being mixed with water. If the application of this degree of heat be long continued, we have other portions of hydrogen entering into com- bustion with carbon in various proportions, resulting in the formation of substances forming the paraffin series —Benzole, light and heavy oils, and thin tar—none of these substances mixing with water; there is also evolved a small quantity of gaseous products. Raise the temperature to 1500 degrees and we have hydrogen combining with nitrogen, forming ammonia then nitro- gen, carbon, and hydrogen are found to combine in various proportions, forming a series of pyroginous alkaloids, followed by the combination of nitrogen and carbon, forming cyanogen; sulphur and hydrogen forming sulphuretted hydrogen; carbon and sulphur forming bisulphide of carbon; and it is also supposed that other sulphur compounds are produced; finally, we have the gaseous products arising from the distil- lation of the coal. A series of secondary substances, such as napthaline, is also the result of the various products coming in contact with the retort and the coke therein contained. Only those descriptions of coal are suitable for gas making, and the further requirements of the gas manu- facturer, which give, first, a large proportion of volatile matter secondly, of fixed carbon, or coke, with small percentages of ash and thirdly, a small quantity of sulphur. An analysis of 14 samples of Cannel coals shewed the following results:— Percentages of Weight of Volatile Sulphur matters. Coke" Sulphur. per ton_ Highest. 60' 72'6 2'23 501bs. Lowest 27'4 40' 0'53 121bs. Average 39'S 49'8 ills 261bs. Forty-five samples of coals- Highest. 42'9 76'9 4'10 92lbs. Lowest 22"8 59'1 0'75 lTjbs. Average 33'7S 6621 1"50 371bs. Welsh coals- Highest. 41-58 8S23 2'30 521bs. Lowest 11-77 58'42 "84 191bs. Average 35-63 64-37 1-09 241bs. The average weights of the products per ton of coal being— Crude gas. Coke. Sulphur. From Welsh coals 7981bs. 14421bs. 24lbs. From sundry coals 7561bs. 14831bs. 371bs. From cannel coals 8911bs. 11151bs; 26lbs. The gas manufacturer. having selected his coal, it is put into retorts, usually about nine feet long, the retorts having been previously heated to temperatures ranging from 1500 to 1900 degrees, according to the nature of the coal he is dealing with his object being, of course, to obtain the gaseous products of distillation, the residual products, though they have their value, being of secondary importance to him. After the coal has remained in the retorts from four to six hours, according to the system of working adopted, during which time the volatile matters, or rather such portions as are of value, are evolved, the coal is withdrawn from the retort in the form of red hot coke, and a fresh quantity of dry coals is thrown in; the mouth of the retort being closed at every repetition of the process, so as to convert into a perfectly air-tight vessel. The chemical changes that occur during the distillation of coal thus conducted in an air-tight vessel are first, the production of water by the combination of one volume of oxygen with two of hydrogen secondly, the formation of carbonic acid by the union of one volume of carbon with two of oxygen; thirdly, these elements also combine in the proportion of one volume of oxygen and one of carbon forming carbonic oxide; fourthly, hydrogen and carbon combines in various proportions, producing coal tar; fifthly, hydrogen and nitrogen, in the proportion of one volume of the former and three of the latter, form ammonia, instantly fol- lowed by the union of water and ammonia, the first and fifth products producing ammoniacal liquors; sixthh/, one volume of hydrogen combines with sulphur and forms sulphuretted hydrogen; seventhly, two volumes of sulphur take up one of carbon, and forms bisulphide of carbon; eighthly, four volumes of hydro- gen combine with four of carbon, producing olefient gas ninthly, four volumes of carbon also combine with two of hydrogen, producing acetyline and lastly, in this series of combinations, four volumes of hydro- gen unite with two of carbon, producing a substance with a variety of names, such as pit gas, firedamp, light carbonetted hydrogen, and marsh gas there still remains a portion of free hydrogen, and lastly, fixed carbon in combination with ash and "earthy matters, in the form of coke. The proportions by weight in which these substances combine, and the resulting products, are also thus shewn:— a 8 parts by weight of oxygen and 2 of hydrogen when com- bined form water. b 16 parts by weight of oxygen and 7 of carbon when com- bined form carbonic acid. c 8 parts by weight of oxygen and 6 of carbon when com- bined form carbonic oxide. d 8 parts by weight of hydrogen and 14 of nitrogen when combined form ammonia. (n and d—water and ammonia—form ammoniacal liquor or gas water.) e 14 parts by weight of hydrogen and 16 of sulphur when combined form sulphurated hydrogen. f 6 parts by weight of carbon and 32 of sulphur when com- bined form bisulphide of carbon. <7 4 parts by weight of hydrogen and 24 of carbon when I combined form olefient gas. h 2 parts by weight of hydrogen and 24 of carbon when combined form acctyline, i 4 parts by weight of hydrogen and 12 of carbon when combined form marsh gas. iJ ixed carbon, ash, and canny matters, are Known as coke. The chemical changes which are effected in coal during the manufacture and distillation of gas, may be very well illustrated by placing a piece of bituminous coal upon a clear bright fire, free from smoke and flame. Carefully observed, the newly added coal will be seen to enlarge in bulk, give out a greasy oily sub- stance, and then evolve numerous little jets of smoke, which burst into flame when alight is applied to them at first this smoke is formed in considerable abund- ance, but it gradually diminishes in the rate of produc- tion until it altogether ceases, representing the first result of the manufacture of gas, namely, the separa- tion of the volatile matters originally contained in the coal. When the piece of coal ceases to smoke, you have, instead of the original substance, an incandescent mass representing the red hot coke, as it is drawn from the retorts at a gas works. Permit it to remain on the fire, and it will gradually waste away, leaving nothing but ash behind. The carbon of the coke having com- bined with the oxygen of the atmosphere passing away up the chimney in the form of carbonic acid gas. Of the various substances which have been enume- rated as resulting from new combinations of the original elements, two only of them, acetyline and olefient gas, contribute to the illuminating power of purified gas. Three of them, hydrogen, marsh gas, and carbonic oxide, are simply the purveyors of the illuminating combustible bodies. Three, coke, tar and ammoniacal liquor, are residual products; and the remaining four, carbonic acid, ammonia, sulphuretted hrydrogen, and bisulphide of carbon, are impurities which require to be removed from the crude gas before it is fit for public use. How this is done, and how the consumer may ascertain for himself that pure gas only is supplied to him, are matters which, with your very kind permission, I propose to describe in my next letter.—Yours faithfully, WILLIAM DORE, Neath, December 9th, 1868.

he found it the most expensive article he evei handled. He had used a common chaff-cuttpr foi cutting it, and one day, while trying it, he cut 011 one of his fingers. That was why he said it was the most expensive stuff he had ever had. It was, how. ever, most valuable food for horses. The question resolved itself into two points—Does it pay as a crop on the farm ? or is there sufficient gorse in the country to supply it? He was of opinion that the stock of gorse was very small, and was getting smaller. If it were adopted as food they would soon find that it would get short and rise in price. Mr. Cummins and himself used up pretty well all the gorse in the country, and he gave up to the stronger man. The next question was-could they afford to to grow it as a crop ? Considering the high rents they had to pay, he should say they could not. He thought root crops paid better; but it was a fact that gorse was a valuable food far horses, and they thrived upon it, and liked it uncommonly. Mr. Andrew Smith did not know anything about gorse. He had heard it was cultivated in Ireland, and produced wonderful crops and he should think it was very useful. He would now turn to the root crops. Mr. Downes had the best turnips in Brecon (laughter), and he had said that he preferred half rotten manure for growing them, because it was richer in ammonia. He (Mr. Smith) preferred the rotten dung, but Mr. Downes' soil very readily decomposed it, whereas on clayey soil it would not decompose so readily. That week he had not been able to do much out-door work, and he had been busy weighing turnips. They all knew that an acre contained 4,840 square yards, and 6,279,640 square inches. There was generally 27 inches between the rows of turnips, and they were 9 inches apart from each other, or four in a yard. If they multiplied 9 by 27 they would get 243, which would be the number ef square inches allowed for one turnip. Let them divide the 6,272,640 by 243, and they got 25,813 as the number of turnips in an acre. Sup- posing each turnip to weigh lib., they got 11^ tons to the acre if 21bs., 13 tons if 3Ibs. 37t tons if 41bs., 46 tons; if 51bs 571 tons; and if 61bs., 69 tons to the acre, each within a few lbs and so on. Then he made some calculations as to what quantity beasts would consume. He ad five bullocks going three-years-old, and five heifers, and they ate of turnips daily 1681bs., and 481bs. of hay and chaff mixed. That was 216lbs., which was far more than Mr. Cummins' horses ate. He believed a good-sized bullock would consume 3001bs. a day, or a ton a week. Turnips were not worth more than 7s. or 8s. per ton to use. He believed that turnips and hay were the cheapest things they could feed cattle upon, and would give more flesh than any artificial food. He also recommended bean meal and pea meal. Mr. Cornish was happy to see that the growth of mangolds had very much increased during the last three or four years. He had always said that the growth of mangold wurtzel would prove advantageous to that part of the country, in common with others. It was often said by gentlemen who were not much in favour of mangolds that it was an expensive crop. He admitted that it required more manure for man- golds than it did for swede turnips but if they paid 25s. a ton per acre extra and got 10 or 15 tons more per acre, they were compensated for the extra expenditure. He had that year been successful in growing mangold wurtzel. He bad not, however, gone into the minutiae of the thing. Mr. Price, who weighed his mangold wurtzel, was told by him when he went into the field, to go where he liked, and that he was the master then. From what he (Mr. Cornish) heard he believed he should have 51 tons to the acre, whereas of swedes he would only get 17 or 18 tons to the acre, which was a monstrous disparity. As far as manures were concerned he differed from Mr. Downes as to the decomposed manure. A great deal depended upon the way in which the manure was managed. If they could keep their dung covered, and prevent the rain from falling on it, or put a layer of earth upon it, it would be much better. He admitted there was a great differ- ence in the soil, and a great deal depended upon that. He was quite satisfied that if they ploughed down manure when they put the crop in, if it were land which would not allow it to go down too far, that was the proper time to do so. He bad no doubt Professor Church was an exceedingly clever man, but he did not endorse everything he said. Mr. Church said that salt was very essential, but that 2 cwt. an acre would be ample. As far as his (Mr. Cornish's) experience went, they must put in more than 2 cwt., or they may as well put none at all. He had put 4 or 5 cwt. to the acre, and sometimes more. His notion was this—that if they lived in that country for seven years they would find seven times as many mangolds grown as there now were. They came useful to feed off when turnips were gone. At the last September fair he sent in some mangold wurtzels of last year's growth, as sound as they came in from the field. If they could keep one ton they could keep ten tons. He hoped the growth of mangold wurtzel would continue to be increased. Mr. Williams (Scethreg) could not say anything about gorse, as he never used it and never saw anyone use it. As to the growth of turnips he had been engaged in it for the last 20 years. Some 20 years ago they had a lot of light land, and in those days there was no talk of artificial manure, except raw bones. They used to manure very heavily- such as 20 bushels to the acre. Since they had given over using the raw bones they could not get such a good crop on those light lands as they did before. With the same amount of expense they -could not get the same return for it. Theirs was red sandstone soil, and very little of it; and they often found the plough bobbing against the rocks for several yards. He fancied they must go back to the raw bones on the upper land, and on the lower land he did pot find they could grow the same weight of turnips as he could with the same quantity of super- phosphate. He bad used as much as 8 cwt. per acre, and could not grow more than 20 tons to the acre of turnips. In the growth of mangolds he had always been unfortunate, and as to their fitness for feeding cattle, he could not say much in their praise. He had bought a lot of beasts, and kept them from April till May but he never considered himself so much robbed as he had been then. They deceived him, and they deceived the butcher; and he went so far as to try the butcher's steelyards. (Laughter.) Whether they had had corn or not before he had them he eould not ascertain. Mr. Jones (Talybont) said he had not had much experience what little he bad had was derived from Mr. Downes. Seven or eight years ago he was inclined to try the mangold crop, and at first he had good crops. The next crop did pretty w ell; and in the third year he grew six or seven acres. He, however, had not enough seed to finish the field, and he finished it with swedes. From the latter be got three times as heavy a crop as he did of mangold?. Next year they did just the same, and really they did not pay him for the planting of them. As for the quality of the mangolds they were very good and hardy, and kept till June or July. He got more milk from the ewes than when fed on swedes, but he lost two or three through eating mangolds,—he supposed through their being more fond of it. He continued to grow mangolds a year or two after. wards, but found they did not suit so well as swedes. Mr. Downes could bear him out in what he said. He thought Mr. Downes had grown them too, but had given them up because they did not suit. He knew also many farmers who used to grow mangolds years ago who did not do so now. Mr. Downes Mangolds blighted with me for two years. Mr. Jones said in growing swedes, if it were intended to take them off the ground, it was better to use a small quantity of artificial manure—about 4 cwt. to the acre. If they put farmyard manure they could take half or two-thirds off them. They could also grow better barley by growing swedes with artificial manure and grazing on the land, than by farmyard manure and taking it all away. Mr. Rees Williams observed that the growing of turnips had been the great topic of the evening. A great many farmers in Breconahire expected to get a good crop without manuring but if they wished to get a good crop they must give the land a good dressing of manure. He had given 8 cwt. of arti- ficial manure to the acre, while some put only 4 cwt. to the acre, and expected to get a good crop. He was sure it paid a man-if he put 4 cwt. of manure to his swedes and got about 15 tons to the acre, to put 6 or 7 cwt. to the acre, which would cost him an extra 24s., and get 25 or 30 tons to the acre, Another important point was the ploughing of the land. Many farmers only ploughed stubble about three or four inches. He did not like that; he preferred to plough wheat stubble as deep as he could, and bring up the fresh soil that the frost might work upon il and fertilise it thoroughly. Most persons alsc ploughed deeper when they cross-ploughed in the spring. hey then brought up the raw soil, which continued raw all through the summer. If it were brought up the beginning of the winter it would bE well fertilised and be fit to receive the seed in May or June. They should also hoe their turnips in time. If they once let them get too forward they got leggy and did not have the strength they would have if hoed early. Last summer he had some which did not look well, and he was hoeing them very early. Some one told him he was hoeing them too soon, and that the sun would get to the roots and wither them. He replied that he might as well lose them first as last, and if he did not hoe them he should lose them. He recommended that they should hoe swedes as soon as they were in the broad leaf. The Chairman remarked that one point had been omitted in the discussion. Professor Church had laid great stress on the manuring in the autumn, and had said they could get much more good from this than from manuring in the spring. Mr. Bowen said about four or five years ago he had a small field, which he sowed with swedes. There was nothing like putting in plenty of manure, and he put half-a-ton to the acre. (Laughter.) There was a strip of land close to it on which he put some farmyard manure. With the crop from the field where he bad put the artificial manure he was greatly disappointed, and that from the farmyard manure beat it entirely. Next year he carted six or seven loads of farm manure, and cross ploughed the ground, giving it another cross ploughing some two months later, and he had a better crop from the farm- yard manure than he had from the artificial. Mr. Lloyd said he was much pleased with the lecture of Professor Church. It contained an immense amount of information in a small space. They had that day had a practical discussion arising out of that lecture. There were some points upon which they differed. Mr. Cornish had alluded to the quantity of salt used. Professor Church had said that 2 cwt. per acre was ample, but he par- ticularly said that that applied to the land in his district. In this county and district they might want more than in Gloucestershire. Mr. Downes had alluded to the results of the manure from the Dowlais Company. He (Mr. Lloyd) could account for his loss in this way. The manure had been carted out and left to decompose it was then put into trucks, and a great escape of ammonia took place. When carted from the trucks another escape of ammonia took place, and when left on the field in heaps another escape took place so that when put on the field it was little better than sawdust. He was of opinion that rotten manure with the ammonia was better than half rotted manure. He also thought it was better to plough it in as deep as possible in the autumn, as the surface then became fertilised. If the farmyard manure were applied with some arti- ficial manure they would get a very good crop, if put in in proper season. He was of opinion that ploughing in the autumn was of great importance, as it saved time in the spring when time was more valuable. Artificial manures were so universally applied that the great point was to get their arti- ficial manures unadulterated and pure. There were a great many manures sold which were perfectly useless. He had paid j62 a ton to an agent for some "economical" manure; but it was the dearest he had ever bought. He put two or three hundredweight to the acre, but it killed the growing plants. In the same field he put some superphosphate, and from this part he had a good crop, while there was no plant at all where he had used this "economical manure. (Laughter.) He was glad to see his friends at their posts, and if they went on great results would follow. They were educating the young agriculturists and the more the objects of the Chamber became known and the more young agriculturists attended, the greater would be the advantages flowing from it. Although there was much good farming in the county, there was bad farming as well but he was pleased to know they were progressing. They did not discuss there some of the questions which were discussed at other Chambers, and perhaps it was as well that they did not do so. There were some sub- jects in regard to which they might get into hot water, as had been the case with him, but there were many abuses of various kinds which it would be well to discuss with a view to their removal. Mr. Downes said Mr. Lloyd bad made a mistake as to the manure he had had from the Dowlais Company. It was not carted into the fields of the company and left there, but into the trucks from underneath the horses, and then conveyed to his premises. There it was unloaded, and placed in a heap until it became thoroughly decomposed and b!ack. There was one other remark he ought to have made in regard to the culture of turnips. In regard to gravelly soils, he thought they were ploughed too frequently in the early part of the summer. He advocated grubbing after one good ploughing in the spring. He was also an advocate for lime, which was to a certain extent a preventative to fingers and toes. On gravelly toils he should advocate heavy liming-21 tons to the acre. Mr. Smith (Newton) had cultivated mangolds for 10 years, and had only had three failures from the grub. He had fed cattle for 20 years, and he be- lieved more in using mangolds than turnips. They contained more sugar and nutriment; and although they produced a little diarrhoea, a little chalk mixture prevented that. They were also good for feeding pigs, and they got very fat upon them. Manuring in the autumn was preferable to manuring in the spring. He also put 4 or 5 cwt. of salt to the acre. The Chairman observed that since he had been chairman he had spoken to several landlords, and got them to join the Chamber. Several landlords would have been present that day bad they not been pre- vented. He thought they ought to have all classes there-landlords and tenants. In other counties landlords did attend, and in that county it was only a question of time. He felt that the interests of the landlord and tenant were the same. The more they talked about those matters the greater good would result to both parties. He. thought they had had an interesting and satisfactory discussion on the subject of the growth of root crops, and it had been dis- cussed in a most practical way, from which good would be likely to be done and that was the object of the Chamber. Instead, however, of having the number they had they ought to have 400 or 500. He was not a landed proprietor himself, but he had always supported the Chamber, and always should. The next meeting would be on the 2nd January, when Mr. Duckham, of the Hereford Chamber of Agriculture, would introduce the subject of The breeding and management of Hereford cattle." From the newspaper which had been put into his hands, called the Chamber of Agriculture, which had now become a weekly paper, he found that there were as many as 66 Chambers established, numbering 16,000 members. 0 Mr. Downes said Major Conway Lloyd had been their president for the last two years, and he hoped that he would accept the post for the ensuing year. He was sure he was only speaking the sentiments of the Chamber in asking him to do so. He proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman for the able manner in which he had presided during the last two years. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Bowen seconded the motion with a great deal of pleasure. The Chairman said he was very much obliged for the way in which they had thanked him. They were good enough last year to re-elect him to the office, and at the next meeting they would proceed to elect a new president. He felt Mr. Downes' kind remarks, but he thought they had better have some fresh blood. At the meeting of the Council, held a fort- night ago, they determined to ask Mr. Alexander Wood to be the president for next year. Mr. Wood, however, would be the president of the Agricultural Society for next year, and consequently he could not so well take it. He (the speaker) must, however, decline to be their chairman. Mr. Downes: I hope you will re-consider it. Mr. P. Lloyd said it was rather a delicate sub- ject for him to say anything about their worthy chairman, but he was up to his duties; and when they saw the difficulty of getting anyone to take the trouble that their chairman had taken, they ought to be more thankful to him. To prosper they must have a good chairman and secretary. He pro. posed that they ask the chairman to re-consider his p io decision, and leave it an open question till the next meeting. He would then have time to consider it, and when be found no one qualified came forward to occupy the post, perhaps he would waive any Objection he might have to becoming their chairman for another year. Let it, however, be an open question till the next meeting, when it would be finally settled. Mr. Cornish said he had great pleasure in second- ing the motion. The business of the meeting then concluded. THE SWANSEA PRIZE CATTLE SHOW.—We have much pleasure in stating that Mr. William Hut- chins, of the Queen's Hotel, Neath, gained the first prize for the best fat ox and also the first prize for the best fat heifer, at the above show, on Thursday last. The ox was fed by Mr. R. Lacy, of Hoton, Leicester, and bred by Messrs. Carver and Son, of Ingarsby. Its age is 4 years and 8 months, and the animal has been entirely fed on grass, hay, meal, and Indian corn. The heifer was bred and fed by Mr. T. Woolly, of Weston Court, near Pembridge, and was fattened on the like provender. They will both be killed and dressed for the Christmas market at Neath, on the 23rd instant. THE FATAL ELECTION RIOT AT NEWPORT.—On Thursday the inquiry touching the death of Mrs. Mary Grant, who was killed by a bayonet wound during the time of the election riot on the 17th ult., was resumed at the Queen's Hotel, Newport, by Mr. W. H. Brewer, coroner. Mr. Phillpotts attended to watch the case on behalf of the relatives of the deceased, and Colonel Bell, of the 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers, was also in attendance. The in- quiry was adjourned for the purpose of giving the military an opportunity of attending, a witness named Evans at the last meeting having sworn that he saw a soldier thrust his bayonet into the deceased while lying on the ground. Several witnesses were called, including Colonel Bell, Charles Waters, a blacksmith, and Mary Grant, the daughter of deceased. The evidence was somewhat conflicting, but the Jury returned the following verdict:—" The Jury desire to express their deep sympathy with the bereaved family, but they are unanimously of opinion that Mary Grant was accidentally killed by a bayonet wound, received in a charge of a division of the 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers, under the com- mand of Lieut.-Colonel Bell, the said charge being made for the purpose of dispersing a riotous and disorderly mob. And the jury are of opinion that no blame whatever attaches to the military, and they consider that but for the humanity and dis- cretion evinced by Colonel Bell much more serious consequences must have ensued." THE ELECTION RIOTS IN MOt;MOUTITSIRI]aE. -The eleven persons charged with rioting at Tredegar were brought before the magistrates on Friday. Mr. Rice Harris appeared in support of the charge, and Mr. Plews defended T. Watkins, W. Watkins, and W. Evans, who were described as respectable tradesmen. Great interest was manifested in the proceedings, the court being densely crowded. Over twelve witnesses were called in support of the charges, who deposed to the wholesale acts of violence committed by the mob on the election da). The Punch House, the Globe Inn, and several other inns and houses, were attacked by the rioters, and they smashed all the windows, destroyed furniture, ran- sacked the buildings, drank and spilled a large quantity of ale and spirits, and violently assaulted many persons. Of the eleven defendants, Charles Griffen, a mason, Thomas Beaver, haulier, James Beddoe, and Daniel Williams, were indicted as having taken an active part in the disturbance, Griffen appearing to be the leader of the gang. The only evidence against Evans was John Reynolds, mason, and Mary Ann Watkins, a servant, who saw him hold up his hands as if to throw something. The girl Watkins further said that he threw a stone. For the defence Mr. Plews called a number of wit- nesses, the majority of them respectable tradesmen residing at Tredegar. Their account of the distur- bances rather differed from that of the witnesses in support of the charge, and several swore positively that Evans did not throw any stones. The magis- trates dismissed the case against Evans, and the other ten defendants were committed for trial, bail being accepted for the appearance of several of the defendants. At Pontypool on Saturday, James Lodge, Meshach Monday, John Dunn, Michael Rees, and James Morgan, were charged with rioting and maliciously damaging the Crown Hotel, White Hart Inn, and the Royal Arms, on the 24th ultimo. The prisoners were identified as having taken part in the riot on the day named, and were remanded for further evidence. Mr. Price, beerhouse keeper, Blaenavon, was charged with stealing several bottles of wine from the cellar of the Red Lion on the day named. Four witnesses were called, who deposed to seeing the prisoner come out of the cellar with the wine under his arm. The prisoner, however, called four witnesses, who swore he was at home the whole of the evening, and as there was a doubt he received the benefit of it, and was discharged. The damage throughout the whole of the county is esti- mated at from R,6,000 to 27,000, and it is believed that this estimate is not too high, taking into con- sideration the vast amount of property destroyed, including furniture, ale, and spirits. Conflicting opinions are entertained as to whether the county is liable for the damage done; but it is generally agreed that the damage done at Newport, Tredegar, and several other places, is such that no felonious intent can be proved, consequeatly no claim can be made on the county rates. ATROCIOUS OUTRAGE AT ARFRDA]aE.- A most villainous outrage was committed near Aberdare on Saturday morning, about seven o'clock. The scene of the atrocity was a small farmhouse occupied by Mr. Richard Thomas Richard. It is situated on the slope of the mountain in Cwmdare, and close to the Rifle Corps practice ground. At the time above- mentioned the inmates of the house were thrown into the greatest state of excitement and alarm by an explosion on the premises. The men at work at the Cwmdare pit both saw and heard the explosion, being only a few hundred yards distant, and they immediately hastened to the spot. At the east end of the house are a pantry and dairy with the roof sloping from the house gable. Into this dairy a small cask, containing gunpowder, seems to have been put through a small window, a train laid, and then fired. Of the results it is strange that so little disaster has to be related. The roof of the pantry and dairy was blown off, and the doors of both places blown into the former every domestic article in them, besides an old table, was also destroyed. The door opening from the dairy to the kitchen was forced open, and some shelves resting on a dresser, with the contents, were broken. Some articles of clothing hanging on lines in the kitchen were burnt. The kitchen window and frame were found in the garden, with not a pane broken. The flooring, which was unceiled, of the room over the kitchen was forced from the joists, but, strange to say, the children that were in bed in the room escaped unhurt. Mr. Richard and his wife were in bed in a little parlour, having a door into the kitchen. She had been in the kitchen to light a match, and just laid down again when the door flew open, to the terror of both. The latch is much bent, and the paint on the door is shri- velled. Altogether ten persons were in the house, but, strange to say, none of them were the least hurt. The wretch that perpetrated the outrages is said to be a Thomas Morris, living at Aberaman. He was found by some workmen not far from the farm, with his clothes burnt off him, and his person burnt severely from the breast almost to his feet. The men led him to his home, calling at Aberdare to borrow some trousers to cover him. Aberaman is two miles from the spot. In the dairy on the table were found, after the outrage, a cap, a silk umbrella partly consumed by the fire, and a cellier's lamp, none of which belonged to the inmates—thus proving that some one had been in the room. The police carried these things to Thomas Morris's house the cap and umbrella were identified by his wife, to whom he has been married about a month. The umbrella, she said, was hers. Mr. Richard is described as a quiet inoffensive man, and much respected. He does not appear to know the fellow who has thus attempted to take the lives of the whole family. The perpetrator of the villainous attempt lies in a dangerous state. From a statement he has made he appears to have been not the only person engaged in the murderous crime. His statement is that three men, including himself, early on Saturday morning proceeded to the Park Pit, whence they took an iron bar, and made their way to the powder magazine, at Cwmdare, of which they forced open the door. Out of this building they took three casks of powder. Two of them they carried near to the Park Pit, and hid them in a cowhouse. The third they carried to the premises of Mr. Richard, and used as before reported. The police, guided by a son of Mr. Richard, proceeded to the cowhouse, where they found the two casks of powder as described by Morris, who has also given the names of his two companions, but which, for evident reasons, are kept private. It also appears from statements made by friends of Morris, and repre- sented as coming from him, that he was simply a tool in the hand of others, and had received money to carry out their vile projects. He has not yet given any reason or motive for their desiring him to do the desperate deed.