ciation of silver was marked, and it then ceased. The evidence in the price of wheat is as follows:

Thus the value of wheat, under the influence of enhanced supplies of silver, quadrupled from 1560 to 1640, from which time (as will be seen in the table of annual averages) the effect ceased. It is now highly probable that the effect of gold will begin to manifest itself, and the prices of wheat will take a higher level, and this will apparently counteract the decline which should result naturally from the high prices that have prevailed, and the stimulus those prices have given to production. Hence, it follows, that two powerful elements of prosperity are coming into operation, viz. :—abundance of gold and relatively cheap food. YEARLY AVERAGE PRICE OF WHEAT IN GREAT BRITAIN FROM 1641 To 1856.

THE CULTIVATED AND UNCULTIVATED LAND IN IRELAND.

We learn from the Belfast (Ireland) Commercial Journal, that the Census Commissioners have just issued their sixth and concluding series of the census returns. We condense from the returns as given in the Journal, the following particulars respecting the agricultural and domestic progress of Ireland :

The number of a res cultivated and uncultivated in the years 1841 and 1851 compare as follows:

These figures speak most favorably for the industry of the people within the ten years; and as the returns are continued to 1854, we find that the work of bringing waste lands into cultivation proceeds in a most gratifying manner. The decrease in the proportion of waste or uncultivated land since 1851 will be seen from the following table:

The total area of Ireland is 20,811,774 statute acres, and the proportion under cereal and other crops, in 1851, was 28.16 per cent; grass, 42.04 per cent; woods or plantations, 1.47 per cent; fallow, 1.47 per cent; and under bog or waste, 24.14.

The improved status of the people is best ascertained by reference to the class of dwellings occupied by them at the decennial periods above named. The Commissioners have divided the houses of the country into four classes. The fourth, or lowest class, comprises mud cabins of one room; the third, mud cottages of more than one room; the second, farm-houses, or in towns, houses having from five to nine rooms and windows; and the first or highest class, all houses of a better description than those already specified. The houses of the first class had increased from 40,080, in 1841, to 50,164, in 1851; those of the second class had increased from 264,184 to 318,758; the third-class dwellings increased from 533,297 to 541,712; and the number of the one-room mud cabins, which stood at 491,278, in 1841, fell to 135,589, in 1851, showing that within this period fully 355,689 of those wretched hovels disappeared from Ireland. The decrease was greatest in Ulster, and least in Leinster. This shows that the advancement of the population in better house accommodation has been most satisfactory, notwithstanding the great diminution caused by famine and emigration. The returns of education, and of the numbers of persons not dependent on manual labor for support, also show considerable increase.

It appears by one of these tables that the inhabitants of Ireland have, by emigration, decreased by 475,102 persons from the 30th March, 1851, to the 31st

December, 1855, so that at the present time there are, probably, not more than six million people in Ireland altogether; and as emigration is still going on with considerable activity, a further important diminution in our population may be looked for, ere the tide again turns in our favor, as turn it must, for the rich and fertile soil of the Emerald Isle contains a mine of exhaustless wealth for generations yet unborn. Already the effects of this diminution in the population is beginning to be seriously felt in the scarcity of labor and wages, which have been gradually advancing, for all classes of workmen, and it would seem, are destined, ere no very distant period, to be placed on an equality with those of the sister kingdom.

The morale of these comprehensive and elaborate tables is, that the potato disease, which in 1847, was considered to have been sent as a judgment against this devoted country from an offended God, has, under His inscrutable and allmerciful providence, turned out its greatest blessing. The Encumbered Estates Court one of the rich fruits of this visitation-has been the happy means of relieving the country from a pack of insolvent landlords and useless drones, who for centuries have hung like a night-mare over the land.

Judging of the future, says our cotemporary, from the experience of the last two or three years, we have good reason for anticipating a glorious regeneration for Ireland, ere another decennial period has passed away.

GRAIN ELEVATORS IN BUFFALO.

There are already ten grain elevators in Buffalo, with power to raise from 2,000 to 2,500 bushels per hour, and to store from 80,000 to 270,000 bushels each. Their aggregate capacity is 1,475,000 bushels of grain. The Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, referring to this subject, says:—

"We learn that excavations for a new elevator on the west side of the creek, opposite the custom-house, have been commenced, and considerable progress already made. The plan and drawings of the building are nearly completed. It is designed to be of the capacity of about 500,000 bushels, and to have two elevators, one on the creek facing east, and one on the cut facing west, each capable of raising 4,500 bushels per hour. It will be eventually walled in with brick. The elevators will, of course, be able to unload two vessels at a time, and in addition to the usual facilities for loading canal boats, a slip for boats is arranged under each elevator, whereby boats can be run in and loaded while vessels are unloading. This elevator, together with the one building on Peck-slip, opposite the the foot of Main-street, will add 900,000 bushels to the capacity of the elevators of the harbor, making an aggregate of 2,400,000 bushels. We also learn that there is a proposition to build another of brick on the north side of Peacock-slip, Erie Basin, but the project is not yet definitely determined upon. The bins of the Dart Elevator, which are now able to hold 150,000 bushels, are in the process of enlargement, in order to make their practical capacity 175,000."

PROFITS OF GRAPES.

In the neighborhood of Cincinnati there are more than two thousand acres of grapes. The profits per acre average, taking one year with another, about $300 per acre. Much, of course, depends on management. The cost of planting ranges from $100 to $300 per acre. The expense with ordinary land need not exceed $150 per acre. When trenching machines come into use on land clear of stones, the cost of planting will be materially reduced. Better profits are made on the grapes sold in the market than on those used for wine.-Pittsburg Dispatch.

STATISTICS OF POPULATION, &c.

THE PROGRESS OF POPULATION IN MAINE.

The State of Maine infers from the data below, that the principal increase in the population of that State has been in the railroad towns, rather than along the seaboard. The large vote cast in Maine at the election in August, 1856, is an interesting fact, showing, as it does, the great progress of Maine for the last few years. We quote what follows from our Portland cotemporary :—

The aggregate vote for Governor exceeds 121,000, or 30,000 more votes than were thrown at the State election of 1840. There was a full vote at that time, and in November following, more so than at any election since that year. The population of Maine in 1840, according to the returns of the United States census, was 501,706. The vote thrown for Governor in that year was 91,179. Of this number, 45,574 were for Kent, and 45,507 for Fairfield, and 98 scattering. Gov. Kent failing of an election by 31 votes. In November of that year Harrison had 46,612 votes to 46,201 for Van Buren, or a majority of only 411 votes in a ticket of 92,813.

As

The canvass of 1840 was, if possible, more exciting than that of 1856, and called out an equally full vote in proportion to the number of voters in the State. With a population of 501,706 in 1840, we threw for President 92,813 votes. we threw rising 121,000 votes in 1856, we can fairly estimate at this time, allowing the same ratio of votes to inhabitants, a population of 665,000 persons. The population of Maine at different periods has been as follows:

Estimating the population at 665,000, it gives an increase of 82,000 in six years, or more that 14 per cent increase in six years. This is certainly a gratifying fact in face of a large emigration from the State. We think the estimate for 1856 is below, rather than above, the truth. The closeness of the vote for Goverernor in September, 1840, stimulated both parties to obtain every possible vote at the November election, while the canvass this year was not equally thorough, in all parts of the State. This will appear by comparing the aggregate vote of each Congressional district this year for members of Congress :

Each district had substantially the same amount of population in 1850, while the difference between the votes in the second and sixth districts this year is 6,573. We can hardly suppose that this difference of vote is entirely due to the greater increase of voters in the 2d district over the 6th, but to the fact that a closer canvas was had in the former than in the latter. Still we think it shows that the growth of the State has been greatest along the lines of our railways. Portland, Bangor, Bath, and the large cities have each increased very rapidly; we think there is no doubt the progress of Maine the last six years has been mainly due to her railways. The 2d district includes the towns of Cumberland, Oxford, and Androscoggin counties, on the line of the Montreal and Waterville railroads, in every one of which there is a large increase of population, greater probably than in the seaboard towns. The third district is made up of the county of Waldo and that part of Lincoln east of the Kennebec River, does not contain a mile of

railway in it. The contest was very sharp in that district, and drew out a full vote. Yet it threw 3,484 votes less than the 2d district.

The 4th district, which includes Bath and the towns in Kennebec and Sagadahock counties on the line of the Kennebec and Portland Railroad, threw 1,367 more votes than the 3d district.

The vote of Portland would indicate a population of about 30,000, that of Bangor about 19,000, and Bath 12,000. From 1840 to 1850 the greatest increase was in the lumbering districts in the counties of Penobscot and Washington. Since 1850, Cumberland and Oxford have increased more than counties in the State.

any

other

EMIGRANTS FROM ENGLAND.

The Liverpool Northern Times, in an article on the character of the most numerous classes of emigrants from that country, the object of which is to show that a large proportion of them are industrious and skilled mechanics, who leave the country for the purpose of seeking employment where industry is more fully rewarded, presents the following alphabetical table of the trades to which a portion of the emigrants of the last two years belonged :

1854.

1855.

Carpenters and joiners

Carvers and gilders.

Coachmakers, &c.

Coal miners..

Coopers.

Engineers.

Millwrights.

Miners and quarrymen....

Painters, plumbers, paper-hangers, and glaziers

Sawyers

Shipwrights..

Smiths (general)

Surveyors

The total number of such adults who emigrated in the two years having been respectively 134,789 and 65,363, it follows that the mechanics and skilled workmen, connected with the building and constructive trades, who leave the country, form the proportion of about one-sixth of the whole number. Farmers, agricul tural and general laborers, and those identified with land, constitute one-half of the bulk of emigrants. The tide of emigration, as regards the mechanics enumerated, sets chiefly to Australia and the United States. Last year there was an unusually small amount of emigration, owing to the war, the drafts for the army and navy, increased employment at home, and the check given to emigration to the United States by the stringent American regulation and the political objections to Catholics and the Irish, and to naturalization, which had before been freely granted. The employment of many large steamers now disengaged from the transport service, and reduced fares, coupled with the prosperous state of Canada and Australia, will lead to an increased emigration next spring.