NATURAL HISTORY OF COMMERCE.

CHAPTER III. (continued).

THE EFFECTS OF GEOLOGY ON THE INDUSTRY OF THE BRITISH
PEOPLE (continued).

Relation of Geology to Agriculture (continued)-Influence of certain
Constituents of Rocks on the Growth of Plants-Inorganic Matter
in various species of Plants-Comparison between other Countries
and parts of Great Britain-General Summary of Minerals and
Metals exported and produced in 1867.
Influence of certain Constituents of Rocks on the Growth
of Plants.

Rocks may be viewed under a threefold aspect-siliceous, argillaceous, and calcareous. Siliceous rocks of soft nature produce light soils, which are the least productive; whilst the hard, intractable grits form little soil, because they are difficult to decompose, and that little is to a great extent barren. The slaty rocks present the same superficial aspects as those of the hard grits; but the soft argillaceous soils, from their power of retaining water, are heavy, and are usually laid out into permanent pasture-lands. The pure calcareous strata, as chalk, though forming soils ranking amongst our richest, are not to be compared with those resulting from the disintegration of the less pure.

(a) Inorganic Constituents of Plants.

A plant is compounded of two sets of constituents, the organic and inorganic; the former is derived from water and the atmosphere, whilst the latter is obtained from the soil. Now the quantity of inorganic food required by different vegetables is greater or less according to their nature; and if a soil be of such a kind that it can yield only a small quantity of this inorganic food, then those plants only will grow well upon it for which this small supply will prove sufficient. Thus trees may grow where arable crops often fail to thrive, because many of the former require and contain comparatively little inorganic matter.

We conclude from the foregoing that a crop of wheat will extract from the soil certain ingredients, while beans and potatoes will extract others. Hence a piece of land may suit one kind of crop, and not another. Hence, aiso, two successive crops of different kinds may grow Well where it would greatly injure the soil to take two in succession of the same kind. It is also evident from the above table that the cereals contain phosphates, and that there is much potash in potatoes and turnips; while beans, and most leguminous plants, contain lime.

As the straw of cereal plants contains comparatively little of some of the ingredients found in the ear, such as lime, magnesia, and phosphoric acid-the straw and husk being especially rich in silica-so the roots may in certain plants and in certain soils succeed in fully nourishing the straw, while they cannot fructify the ear; or the very reverse of this may occur.

(b.) Sources of the Inorganic Constituents of Plants and the Agricultural Capabilities of Soils derived from various Geological Epochs.

As the inorganic compounds are derived from the soil or from manure supplied to it, the adaptation of certain crops to given land will be dependent upon the chemical composition of the rock from which the soil is derived. Soils derived from rocks devoid of phosphates cannot produce cereals, whilst soils derived from the decomposition of rocks that contain the inorganic constituents of cereals are necessarily the best adapted for the growth of such crops.

Dr. Daubeny experimented upon the relative amount of phosphoric acid obtained from barley sown in pulverised samples of various strata of different geological epochs, and he found that whatever the age of the rock might be, provided it belonged to a series in which organic remains were present, phosphoric acid was one of the constituents of the rock. On the other hand, phosphoric acid was absent in certain slates which lie below the oldest rocks in which organic remains have been detected-such, for instance, as those of Nant lbs. Francon, Llanberis, near Bangor, to the north of Dolgelly; schist taken from the foot of Snowdon; micaschist from Loch Lomond; and certain specimens from the Longmynd Mountains.

TABLE OF THE PROPORTION OF INORGANIC MATTER IN 1,000 LBS. OF THE FOLLOWING SUBSTANCES.

2

2 Peas.
Turnips
Ash Wood
Elm Wood
Elm Leaves
Meadow Hay, 50 to 100 lbs.

50

5 to 8
1 to 6

19 . 100

From the above table it appears that the quantity of inorganic matter varies in different parts of the same plants-as for example, the straw of our crops contains more ash than the grain. In trees and plants the leaves are richer in inorganic matter than the wood or stalk.

The quality of the ashes of plants varies with the same conditions by which its quantity is affected. The more commonly occurring mineral substances in them are-phosphates of lime, soda, potash, and magnesia; carbonates of soda and lime; chlorides of potassium and sodium; sulphates of soda and potash; iron and silica.

TABLE OF THE QUANTITY OF INORGANIC MATTER IN VARIOUS
SPECIES OF PLANTS.

The reclamation of those great tracts of land, the peatbogs in Ireland, for the purposes of agriculture has occu pied a very large amount of attention; but the progress of chemistry in later years has divested the question of much of the paramount importance that was formerly attached to it; for now that by the researches of Liebig and others the true principles of the growth of agricultural crops are understood, it is well known that, even if thoroughly drained, peat will not supply the materials necessary for the production of food, and that the cost of introducing those materials in the form of manures, if applied to land in better condition occupying the same area, will yield greater and more profitable

returns.

An examination of the chemical components of the following rocks, the soils of which form our finest corngrowing lands, will show the practical advantage of geological and chemical knowledge, and explain the great difference in the respective producing powers of such soils:

With a geological map before him, the reader will Copper now be able to infer from the physical features presented by any country the industrial pursuits of the people occupying it. We present a few examples

Silver

Gold

METALS OBTAINED FROM THE ABOVE OBES.

METALS.

Value of other Metals (estimated)

Total Value of Metals

Quantities.

Tons.

4,761,023

11,902,57

8,700

10,233

801,

68,440

3,750

Since the rocks of Normandy and Picardy are identical with those of our midland and southern counties-being of oolitic and cretaceous age-we should infer that the inhabitants are agricultural, the chalk tracts being occupied by pasturage, the limestone of the oolitic strata ABSOLUTE TOTAL VALUE OF THE METALS AND COAL A forming arable soils, whilst its clays are growing a variety of crops.

Belgium is an equivalent to South Wales or to the Staffordshire district, its four southern provinces being constituted of rocks of the carboniferous age, and presenting an association of coal, iron, and limestone, such as we have ascertained to prevail in the English areas now mentioned. The aggregate of all mining and metal GENERAL SUMMARY OF COAL EXPORTED FROM THE UNLE industries recorded for 1860 was £10,751,000; the principal products of its mines are iron-ore, blende, calamine, galena, and coal.

Switzerland, the mountain country par excellence of Europe, with its metamorphic rocks, might be inferred to be a repetition of the phenomena which obtain in North Wales; but it is otherwise, for these granitic and gneissic rocks are but metamorphosed oolitic and newer strata; and as we have shown that deposits of these formations are usually unproductive in minerals, Switzerland, if our generalisations are correct, can never be a mining country, and, from its mountainous character, it can only be a pastoral one.

Saxony presents, in its rock masses and its mineral wealth, similar conditions to those which prevail in Devon and Cornwall.

LESSONS IN BOOKKEEPING.-XXX.

We have now laid before our students the principles of Book-
keeping, both in relation to Home and Foreign trade. If they
have diligently accompanied us to the end, they possess as clear
and as good a knowledge of the subject as they will obtain
from a treatise. What they now want is practice, for “
tice makes perfect." A few months in an office under an able
prac-
bookkeeper will fix our instructions upon their minds, and also
give them an insight into the practical working of the science
of Bookkeeping.

There are differences of practice in nearly every countinghouse. These are variations in some minute particulars, in no way affecting the main principles of the subject, but due entirely to the exigencies of the particular trade, business, or profession. Of course we cannot enlarge upon these variations, as they are so very numerous.

We have thought it advisable to supply another Memoranda of Transactions for the use of those students who may wish for further practice in keeping accounts. The transactions with the Bank are excluded, as in the Memoranda of Foreign Trade (see Vol. III., pages 100 and 132). We have only given the quantities to prices, without stating the actual amount of the purchase or sale. Separate accounts may be opened simply for coffee, tea, and sugar, or for the different kinds of each, as the student may think fit.

MEMORANDA OF THE TRANSACTIONS

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OF MESSRS. EVANS AND HAYWARD, TEA, COFFEE, AND SUGAR
188-.
MERCHANTS.
Jan. 1.-Deposited Capital in City Bank-J. Evans £1,500, and J.
Hayward £1,500. Bought of L. Solomons, Office Furniture, etc.,
£48 108.; F. Parsons, Account Books, Stationery, etc., £7 10s.
Jan. 2.-Paid L. Solomons and F. Parsons. Bought of J, Allport,
Tea Congou, good, 15 chests 1,200 lbs., @1s. 10d. per lb.;
Congou, finest, 12 chests 960 lbs., @38.; Souchong, 10 chests
= 800 lbs., @2s. 8d.; Hyson, 15 chests =
Bought of Bayley and Co., Coffee: Jamaica, good, 3 tierces = 21
1,050 lbs., @2s. 4d.
cwt., @82s. per cwt.; Mocha, ungarbled, 6 bales = 12 cwt. @ 758.;
Costa Rica, 10 bags = 15 cwt., @ 63s. (Less 2 %). Bought of
Reed and Co., Sugar: West India, 5 tierces 40 cwt., @ 37s. per
cwt.; Brazil, 2 hhds. = 30 cwt., @ 22s. 6d.; Bengal, 4 hhds. = 72
cwt., @ 40s. Paid W. Collins and E. George, Travelling Expenses,
£7 78. each.

Jan.

291

Jan. 11.-Received Cash from Kebble and Williams and Jenkins Bros.
Lent Noble and Hoare £500 for 1 month at 5%.
13.-Received 3 Bills from Owen and Co. :-No, 5, due 17th inst.,
Jan. 12.-Sold to Owen and Co., Tea: Congou, finest, 4 chests = 320
lbs., @3s. 2d.; Gunpowder, 14 chests = 1,120 lbs., @2s, 11d.
£100; No. 6, due 24th inst., one-half of bal.; No. 7, due 30th inst.,
balance. Bought of J. Allport, Tea: Gunpowder, 50 chests =
4,000 lbs., @2s. 6d. Drew out of Cash, J. Evans, Private acc., £5;
J. Hayward, Private acc., £10. Paid Wages, £5.. W. Collins and
E. George, Travelling Expenses, £7 7s. each.

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Jan. 15.-Accepted 2 Bills, drawn by J. Allport :-No. 9, due @ 2 mos.,
£250; No. 10, due @ 3 mos., £250. Sold to Kebble and Williams,
Coffee: Jamaica, good, 1 tierce
tierces 14 cwt., @1188.; Mocha, garbled, 6 bales = 15 ewt., @
7 cwt., @ 90s.; Jamaica, fine, 2
102s. Sold to Thompson and Co., Tea: Gunpowder, 10 chests =
800 lbs., @2s. 7d.

Jan. 16.-Received Bills:-No. 8, from Kebble and Williams, due 2nd
Feb.; No. 9, from Thompson and Co., due 27th Jan.
Jan. 17.-Received Cash for Bill No. 5,

Jan. 18.-Sold to Hunter and Co., Tea: Congou, good, 10 chests = 800
lbs., @1s. 9d. (for Cash on 27th).

Jan.

19.-Sold to Wardlaw and Co., Tea: Congou, finest, 8 chests = 610 lbs., @2s. 9d. Sold to Mason and Co., Tea; Souchong, G chests 480 lbs., @2s. 10d.

Jan. 20.-Drew Bills: No. 10, on Wardlaw and Co., due @ 1 mo. ; No. 11, on Mason and Co., due @ 1 mo. Paid Wages, £5. W. Collins and E. George, Travelling Expenses, £7 78. each.

Jan. 22.-Sold to J. Tilley, Coffee: Mocha, ungarbled, 2 bales = 4 cwt., @838.; Costa Rica, 6 bags = 9 cwt., @70s.; Rio, 4 Robins = 6 cwt., @478. 6d. Sold to H. Meredith, Coffee: Jamaica, fine, 1 tierco = 7 cwt., @1188.; Sugar: W. India, 4 cwt., @ 458.; Brazil, 5 cwt., @ 288.

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Jan. 23.-Received Cash from J. Tilley and H. Meredith. Jan, 24.-Received Cash for Bill No. 6. Paid J. Gilbertson. Allatson and Co., Tea: Gunpowder, 20 chests = Sold to Drew Bill No. 12 on Allatson and Co., due @ 1 mo. 1,600 lbs., @2s, 7d. Jan. 25.-Sold to F. Notley, Tea: Hyson, 10 chests 700 lbs., @2s. 5d. Jan. 26.-Bought of Bayley and Co., Coffee: Jamaica, good, 10 tierces Sold to Pickford and Green, Sugar: Bengal, 12 cwt., @ 50s. = 70 cwt., @ 808.; Mocha, ungarbled, 10 bales Costa Rica, 10 bags =20 cwt., @ 738. ; 15 cwt., @60s.; Mocha, garbled, 14 bales 21 cwt., @918. (Less 2% for Cash in a month). Drew Bill No. 13 Jan. 27.-Received Cash from Hunter and Co., and Cash for Bill No. 9. on F. Notley, due @ 1 mo. Received Cash from Pickford and Green. Bought of Keene and Ross, Tea: Congou, good, 50 chests = lbs., @1s. 6d. ; Hyson, 10 chests = 4,000 =700 lbs., @2s.; Souchong, 20 chests = = 1,600 lbs., @ 2s. 3d. Sold to E. Davey, Coffee: Jamaica, good, 3 tierces 21 cwt., @89s.; Tea: Congou, good, 10 chests 800 lbs., @1s. 8d. Paid Wages, £5. W. Collins and E. George, Travelling Expenses, £7 7s. each.

Jan. 3.-Accepted Bills as follows:-Drawn by J. Allport, No. 1, due
@ 1 mo., one-half of acc.; No. 2, due @ 2 mos., balance of acc.
Drawn by Bayley and Co., No. 3, due @ 1 mo.
and Co., No. 4, due @ 2 mos., one-half of acc.; No. 5, due @ 3
Drawn by Reed Jan.
mos., balance of acc.
Jan. 4.-Drew out of Cash, Petty Cash, £10. J. Evans, Private acc.,
£25. J. Hayward, Private acc., £20. Sold to Kebble and Williams
(for Cash in a week), Coffee: Costa Rica, 4 bags = 6 cwt., @ 70s. ;
Sugar: Brazil, 1 hhd. 15 cwt., @27s. 6d. ; Tea: Congou, good, 3
chests = 240 lbs., @1s. 11d., (Less 2%).

Jan. 5.-Sold to Clayton and Co., Sugar: Bengal, 2 hhds. = 36 cwt. @
468. 3d. Received Cash same time. Sold to Lumley and Co.,
Coffee: Jamaica, good, 2 tierces 14 cwt., at 90s.; Tea: Congou,
finest, 8 chests = 640 lbs., @3s. 2d.; Sugar: W. India, 2 tierces =
16 cwt., @ 45s. 6d. Drew Bill No. 1 on Lumley and Co., due @
1 mo. Sold to Mason and Co., Coffee: Mocha, ungarbled, 4 bales =
8 cwt., @828. 3d.; Tea: Souchong, 4 chests = 320 lbs. @ 2s. 9d.
Jan. 6.- Received Cash from Mason and Co. Paid Wages, £5. W.
Collins and E. George, Travelling Expenses, £7 7s. each.
Jan. 8.-Bought of Durrant and Co., Tea: Congou, good, 20 chests =
1,600 lbs., @1s. 8d.; Congou, finest, 20 chests = 1,600 lbs., @2s. 8d.;
Souchong, 10 chests = 800 lbs., @2s. 6d. ; Hyson, 10 chests = 700
lbs., @2s. 3d. (Less 24%). Bought of J. Allport, Tea: Gunpowder,
20 chests = 1,600 lbs., @2s. 10d. (Less 2%).
Jan. 9.-Accepted Bills :-Drawn by Durrant and Co., No. 6, due @ 2
mos., £250; No. 7, due @ 3 mos., balance of acc.
Allport, No. 8, due @ 3 anos.
Drawn by J.
Sold to Wardlaw and Co., Tea:
Congou, good, 10 chests = 800 lbs., @2s.; Gunpowder, 6 chests =
480 lbs., @3s. Sold to Freeman and Dale, Tea: Congou, finest,
12 chests = 960 lbs., @2s. 9d.; Hyson, 15 chests = 1,050 lbs., @
28. 5d.; Sugar: W. India, 20 cwt. @ 44s.; Bengal, 24 cwt., @
478. 3d.

Jan. 10.-Drew Bills :-No. 2, on Wardlaw and Co., due at 1 mo.; No. 3, on Freeman and Dale, due @ 1 mo., £200; No. 4, on do., due @ 2 mos., bal. of acc. Bought of J. Gilbertson, Coffee: Rio, 12 Robins 18 cwt, @ 40s.; Mocha, garbled, 6 bales 15 cwt., @ 95s.; Jamaica, fine, 3 tierces = 21 cwt., @110s. (Less 24% for Cash in a fortnight). Sold to Jenkins Bros., Coffce: Rio, 12 cwt., @ 478.; Tea: Congou, good, 10 chests = 800 lbs., @1s. 9d.

Jau.

29.-Accepted a Bill drawn by Keene and Ross, No. 11, due @ 3
mos. Drew Bill No. 14 on E. Davey, due @ 2 mos.
Jenkins Bros., Tea: Congou, good, 2 chests 160 lbs., @ 1s. 11d.
Sold to
Received Cash same time.

30.-Bought of J, Vavasseur, Tea: Congou, finest, 20 chests
1,600 lbs., @2s. 6d.. Received Cash for Bill No. 7. Bought of H.
Bateman and Son (Less 5% for Cash in a week), Coffee: Rio, 12
Robins = 18 cwt., @38s.; Jamaica, fine, 3 tierces 21 cwt., @
105s. Bought of Wingram and Sons, Sugar: W. India, 5 tierces
=40 cwt., @ 31s.; Brazil, 2 hhds.
hhds. 5 cwt., @ 38s.
=30 cwt., @ 21s. Bengal, 3

Jan. 31.-Accepted Bills:-No. 12, drawn by J. Vavasseur, due @ 2
mos.; No. 13, drawn by Wingram and Sons, due @ 3 mos.
to Mears and Fry, Coffee: Jamaica, good, 2 tierces
Sold
89s. 6d.; Mocha, ungarbled, 5 bales = 10 cwt., @ 81s.; Sugar:
= 14 cwt., @
Brazil, 10 cwt., @ 29s. Sold to Clayton and Co., Sugar: Bengal,

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1 hhd., 18 cwt., @178.; W. India, 2 tierces 16 cwt., @ 44s. Feb. 1.-Received Bills: No. 15, from Mears and Fry, due 12th Feb. ; No. 16, from Clayton and Co., due 15th Feb. and Co., Tea: Congou, good, 10 chests = 800 lbs., (@ls. 7d. ; Sold to Marchmont Congou, finest, 6 chests 480 lbs., @2s. 74d.; Coffee: Mocha, garbled, 8 bales = 12 cwt., @ 103s. Travellers, £60. Paid Salaries, including Feb. 2.-Drew Bill on Marchmont and Co., No. 17, due at 1 mo. ceived Cash for Bill No. 16. ReSold to A. Ledbrooke, Tea: Gunpowder, 15 chests 1,200 lbs., @2s. 71.; Hyson, 4 chests, 280 Feb. 3.- Drew 2 Bills on A. Ledbrooke: No. 18, due @ lbs., @2s. 14d.; Souchong, 10 chests 800 lbs., @2s. 74d.

half of acc.; No. 19, due @ 2 mos., balance. Drew out of Cash,
mo,, one-
Petty Cash, £10; J. Hayward, Private acc, £25; J. Evans,
Private acc., £25. Paid Wages, £5.
Feb. 5.-Sold to J. Tilley, Coffee: Costa Rica, 5 bags=7} cwt., @
Travelling Expenses, £7 79. each.
W. Collins and E. George,
68s. 9d.; Rio, 8 Robins 12 cwt., @478.; Jamaica, fine, 1 tierce

Feb. 6.-Received Bill No. 20 from J. Tilley, dne 27th Feb. Paid H.
7 cwt., @ 115s.
Bateman and Son. Paid Bills Nos. 1 and 3.

Feb. 7.-Sold to North and Co., Sugar: W. India, 3 tierces = 24 cwt.,
@448. 6d.; Brazil, 2 hhds. = 30 cwt., @ 29s. 3d.; Bengal, 2 hhds.,
36 cwt., @ 468.
Feb. 8.-Drew 2 Bills on North and Co.:-No. 21, due @ 1 mo., £100;
No. 22, due @ 2 mos., for balance. Received Cash for Bill No. 1.
Feb. 9-Effected by W. Lloyd, on account of J. Fitzgerald, Berbice,
an Insurance on £1,050, on 30 tierces of Coffee, valued at £35 per
tierce, from Berbice to London, per Neptune, at 3 per cent.
premium; Policy £3 10s.; our Commission on do., per cent.
Feb. 10.-Sold to Duncan and Forbes, Coffee: Jamaica, good, 5 tierces
=35 cwt., @ 8 s.; Mocha, garbled, 6 bales 9 cwt., @ 103s.
Received Cash from Noble and Hoare, in repayment of loan, with
interest @5%. Paid Wages, £5. W. Collins and E. George, Travel-
ling Expenses, £7 78. each.

Feb. 12.-Received Cash for Bill No. 15. Sold to Hunter and Co.,
Tea: Congou, good, 10 chests = 800 lbs., @ 1s. 74d.; Congou,
finest, 9 chests=720 lbs., @2s. 74d.; Gunpowder, 5 chests
400 lbs., @2s. 7d. Bought of J. Allport, Tea: Gunpowder, 50
chests = 4,000 lbs., @2s. 6d. (Less 24%). Bought of Bayley and
Co., Coffee: Jamaica, good, 10 tierces = 70 cwt., @ 788.; Mocha,
garbled, 20 bales 30 cwt., @ 91s. Bought of Reed and Co.,
Sugar: W. India, 10 tierces = 80 cwt., @ 328.; Brazil, 4 hhds.
60 cwt., @ 20s.; Bengal, 5 hhds. 90 cwt., @358.
Feb. 13.-Received Cash for Bills Nos. 2 and 3. Received Cash from

Hunter and Co. on acc., £100. Drew Bill No. 23 on Hunter and Co., due @ 1 mo. for the balance of their acc. Accepted Bills:No. 14, drawn by J. Allport, due @ 3 mos.; No. 15, drawn by Bayley and Co., due @ 3 mos., £200; No. 16, do., due @ 4 mos for bal.; No. 17, drawn by Reed and Co., due @ 4 mos. Feb. 14. Sold to Winter and Co., Tea: Souchong, 2 chests 160 lbs., @2s. 5d., Hyson, 3 chests=210 lbs., @2s. 2d.; Coffee: Rio, 4 Robins e cwt., @ 478. Received Cash same time. Sold to F. Notley, Tea, Congou, good, 10 chests 800 lbs., @1s. 7d.; Congou, firest, 5 chests = 400 lbs., @ 2s. 7}d. Feb. 15.-Received Cash for Bill No. 16. Drew Bill No. 24 on F. Notley, due @ 1 mo. Sold to H. Paton, Tea: Congou, good, 10 chests 800 lbs., @1s. 8d. Sold to Fox and Co., Tea: Souchong, 8 chests 610 lbs., @2s. 44d.; Hyson, 3 chests 28. 14d. Feb. 16.-Sold to Edwards and Co., Coffee: Mocha, ungarbled, 5 bales = 10 cwt., @ 82s.; Costa Rica, 5 bags = 7 cwt., @ 70s. Sold to H. Meredith, Coffee: Jamaica, fine, 2 tierces = 14 cwt., @1148.

whereas the Canadian group are more closely connected with the metamorphic rocks. Since they are largely developed in North Wales, the term "Cambrian" has been applied to them, as Cambria was the ancient name of that part of the Princi pality. The American rocks of this group have been studied chiefly by Sir W. E. Logan, and from the fact that their chief development occurs in the neighbourhood of the St. Lawrence, they have been termed Laurentian. This sub-system is thus tabulated:

CAMBRIAN GROUP.

1. Upper Cambrian rocks (the primordial zone of Barrande). 2. Lower Cambrian rocks (Longmynd group), LAURENTIAN group.

1. Upper Laurentian.

2. Lower Laurentian. The Laurentian Rocks are known to occupy an area of 200,000 square miles, and frequently they attain a thickness of 30,000 feet, the upper group being 10,000 and the lower 20,000. The rocks are stratified, yet crystalline gneiss, mica-schist, quartzite, and limestone are all represented. As yet, the upper group has afforded no fossils; whereas, in 1859, Sir W. Logan discovered an organic remain in the lower Laurentian. This is the oldest fossil as yet discovered. It appears to be a foraminifer, and bears a similarity to the well-known nummulite; it has been called the Eozoon Canadense.

The Lower Cambrian or Longmynd group is composed of sandstones, which are found in the Longmynd hills to be some 6,000 feet thick, and of the Llanberis slates. The sandstones are often rippled, proving that once they were the shores of s sea which were left dry at low water. The rocks bear evidence of the existence of myriads of annelides, of which there appear to be four or five species. The slates are about 3,000 feet thick, and are developed on the coast of Ireland, directly opposite 210 lbs., @Anglesea. Here are found the oldest fossils in Europe, two zoophytes to which Professor E. Forbes gave the name of Old hamia. In Fig. 28 and Fig. 29 are drawn the two species, Oldhamia antiqua and O. radiata. The whole thickness of the Longmynd group is about 10,000 feet.

Bought of Keene and Ross, Tea: Congou, good, 50 chests 4,000 lbs., @ 1s. 5d.; Congou, finest, 50 chests = 4,000 lbs., ( 28, 4d. Bought of J. Vavasseur, Tea: Souchong, 25 chests 2,000 lbs., @2s. 2d.; Hyson, 20 chests = 1,400 lbs., @2s. Feb. 17.-Received Cash from Fox and Co. Drew out of Cash, Petty Cash, £10; J. Evans, Private acc., £10; J. Hayward, Private acc., £10. Paid Wages, £5. W. Collins and E. George, Travelling Expenses, £7 78. each.

Feb. 19.-Accepted Bills :-No. 18, drawn by Keene and Ross, due @ 3 mos., one-half of acc.; No. 19, do., due @ 4 mos., balance of acc.; No. 20, drawn by J. Vavasseur, due @ 3 mos. Received Cash from H. Paton; Bills, No. 25, from Edwards and Co., due

=

26th Feb.; No. 26, from H. Meredith, due 5th March. Feb. 20.-Sold to Dean and Son, Tea: Congou, good, 10 chests 800 lbs., @ 18. 6d. Sold to G. Finlan, Tea: Souchong, 10 chests === 800 lbs., @ 28. 5d. Sold to N. Reynolds, Tea: Gunpowder, 5 chests 400 lbs., @ 28. 8d. Bought of J. Gilbertson, Coffee: Mocha, ungarbled, 20 bules 40 cwt., @ 728.; Costa Rica, 20 bags 30 cwt., @ 60s.; Rio, 20 Robins = 30 cwt., @ 37s. Bought of H. Bateman and Son, Coffee: Jamaica, fine, 10 tierces = 70 cwt., @102s. Feb. 21.-Sold to F. Nicholls, Tea: Congou, finest, 10 chests lbs., @2s. 6d.; Hyson, 2 chests 140 lbs., @2s. 2d. Sold to Atkins and Fry, Coffee: Jamaica, good, 1 tierce = 7 cwt., @ 878.; Sugar: W. India, 1 tierce = 8 cwt., @ 40s. Sold to Wardlaw and Ce., Tea: Congou, good, 10 chests 800 lbs., @1s. 64d.; Congou, finest, 5 chests 400 lbs., @2s. 6d. Sold to Mears and Fry, Coffee: Mocha, ungarbled, 5 bales 10 cwt., @ 80s.; Costa Rica, 6 bags 9 cwt., @70s.

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=

800

LESSONS IN GEOLOGY.-XIV, We now enter upon the fossiliferous strata. Hitherto, all attempts to discover signs of organic remains in the igneous and metamorphic rocks have failed, and this fact at present rises as a well-defined wall of demarcation, separating all the lower rocks from the first great system, the Silurian. Before we enter upon that well-defined series of rocks, so ably described by Sir Roderick Murchison in his "Siluria," we must notice a small group which occupies an intermediate position between the metamorphic system and the Silurian.

This sub-system, if we may so use the word, has been described as existing in England, in Bohemia, and in Canada. The Bohemian and English rocks are of the same period,

The Upper Cambrian contains the Tremadoc slates, which lie upon the Lingula flags, these latter being 6,000 feet thick, while the slates are but 2,000. The group bears evidence of a great advance in life, both as to the number of species as well as their superior development. That remarkable crustacean, the Trilobite, so characteristic of the Silurian system, begins to appear; while in the upper part of the group the Bellerophon orthoceratite and the Theca find representatives.

Mons. Barrande in 1846 gave to the world his laborious researches on the geology of Bohemia, which he had studied for ten years. The result is, that these Bohemian strata have been found to correspond with the Cambrian. Barrande termed the lowest group Primordial," because he believed that in these rocks the earliest indications of life were found; but, as this is not the case, the term is gradually becoming obsolete. Many geologists hold that the Cambrian rocks were deposited at a time when the first creations of life took place upon the earth. But suppose that the metamorphic action had extended through the Silurian and Devonian strata, obliterating all traces of organic remains, then the carboniferous system would have been the first in which fossils were found; and in Ireland there is a large area, covered by sandstones which belong to this period, utterly destitute of fossils. It would have been argued that at the time of the deposition of these sandstones there was no life upon the earth, and that the creation of life took place at a subsequent period. How fallacious would the rea soning prove! And it may be that the Cambrians occupy much the same position as the yellow sandstones of Ireland in our supposition. The metamorphic rocks beneath may have once been very fossiliferous strata, which have undergone a total alteration and all traces of organisms obliterated, and for some reason or other the Cambrian group were deposited in such a position as to preclude the burying of many organic remains Yet it must be confessed that this supposition is hardly credible, because, had the carboniferous strata, as above supposed, been the first to contain fossils, we should have suddenly found our selves in the midst of a highly-developed flora and facsa whereas in the Cambrians only very low types of life are found. The Oldhamia, for example, for a long time was believed to be of a vegetable origin. Every appearance seems to indicate