64
NOTES—ORIGINAL AND SELECTED.
MISCELLANEA.
Earthquake of December 17th, 1896, felt at Brentwood.—As I do not
see any account of the Earthquake having been felt at Brentwood in the report in
the last number of the Essex Naturalist (vol. ix., pp. 238-9), I may say that
at 5.30 a.m. on that day I was lying awake when I heard my jug rattle three
or four times. There was then an interval of three or four seconds and the
jug again rattled in a similar manner. I thought that my dog was in the
room and was scratching himself against the wash-hand stand, so I at once
lit my candle, but there was no dog. I then looked at my watch and saw it
was 5.35. I felt no earthquake and but for the rattling of the crockery I
should have known nothing about it. When I went down to breakfast in the
morning, I jokingly remarked that the house must be haunted.—Frank
Landon, The Red House, Brentwood, February 4th, 1897.
Agriculture in Essex.—The Royal Statistical Society held their fifth
ordinary meeting of the Session at the Royal United Service Institution,
Whitehall, on March 16th, when a paper on "Agriculture in Essex during the
past 50 years, as exemplified by the records of one Farm, with special reference
to the prices of Corn and the conditions of Labour," was read by Mr.
Frederick C. Danvers. Mr. G. Shaw Lefevre, vice-president, occupied the
chair. Mr. Danvers pointed out that this country now only produced
sufficient home-grown wheat for two months' consumption of the population,
and was, therefore, dependent upon foreign imports for the balance of its
requirements. Reference was made to the general condition of Essex as
regards wheat cultivation, and tables were given showing the corn and wheat
areas in the country and on the particular farm dealt with in the paper.
Whereas the wheat area in Essex had, since 1866, fallen by about 50 per cent.,
the wheat area on the farm had not perceptibly decreased ; indeed, it had now
five acres more under wheat than in 1866. One reason why the farm in
question [? at Great Oakley] had been able to continue growing wheat had
been its high producing powers ; for, whereas the average yield of wheat for
the whole country was but 28 bushels per acre, the yield on this farm had
averaged 381/2 bushels per acre. It was, however, shown that, taking the years
when wheat was at its periodical highest price, the value of the crop on the
farm fell from £20 3s. per acre in 1854 to £6 15s. in 1888—a price at which
it would be impossible to grow wheat at a profit, even if the land were occupied
rent free. With regard to the conditions of labour, it was shown that, whereas
the total wage of a farm labourer amounted to 11s. 4d. a week in 1858, it now
averaged as much as 15s. 8d. a week, with, in some cases, a rent-free cottage
besides. Thus, notwithstanding the fall in value of all agricultural produce,
the average yearly wages on this farm ware now £157 more than formerly.—
Times, March 18th, 1897.
"The Disappearance of certain species of Insects, with notes on
their slaughter and protection."—Just as the present part goes to press,
we have received an important paper, bearing the above title, from the author
Mr. Frank Bouskell, F.E.S., which was read before the Leicester Literary and
Philosophical Society in January last. Mr. Bouskell has collected startling
evidence of the rapid disappearance by over-collecting of some of the most
interesting native insects—evidence which demands the serious consideration
of all right-thinking entomologists. It is proposed to bring the matter before
a Meeting of the British Association. Prompt action seems to be necessary,
and we shall return to the subject in our next part.—Ed.