It is amusing to learn from the English and Scotch papers that while land has no chance of showing what it can do in the way of production while it is left at the mercy of all the rain that falls, draining it thoroughly has been attended by unexpected evils. All along their little riven, as they call them, and far inland, the farms have a net-work of drains underground, by which as much water is brought down in three hours as used to take three weeks to reach the river. Under the bank, all along both sides, the outfalls may be seen pouring out their little streams, and every tributary brook and ditch discharges its contents with a vehemence that creates not only floods but fright. Grass-lands along the banks which used to give such fine hay, are now spoiled; the grass is blue in summer and white in winter, and makes the cattle ill, like the produce of the marsh. So they are talking of the necessity of enlarging the main water-courses to carry off this sudden irruption.

In addition to this source of trouble in some sections, others are greatly, and it is feared justly, alarmed at the fact that the fall of rain-water is decreasing, being for six years far below the average, and the prospects for the present winter are much feared, because enough has not fallen to fill the springs. There are strong fears expressed on these subjects, and in addition to a little shudder now and then that Boney is coming over to eat up John Bull, we shall soon hear perhaps the old cry of "agricultural distress".