opportunity of stating opinions which might prove very valuable to their landlords. There was one subject, particularly, upon which they had lately heard a good deal of discussion which might be effectually canvassed in this manner. It was that of the tenure of land. It was a question which, to his knowledge, had been often amply discussed at small meetings, while very little allusion had been made to it at the meetings of their great societies. It was one also, he believed, upon which there was some variety of opinion, and in which there were more difficulties to contend with than in almost any other. He did feel, as having the control of a large property, that that was just the occasion upon which one would like to hear some tenant farmers speak their minds. He was especially persuaded that nothing could be more useful than a prize given for the best agreement which could be drawn out. He alluded to the question of leases, because it was one in which every individual landlord must judge for himself. If a good man went and offered to take a farm upon lease, it might probably be unwise to refuse it; but he was very far from approving, as a rule, of leases, nor did he believe that in this part of the country they were generally required. He was happy to be able to believe that the feeling between landlords and tenants in this county made a lease, for the most part, unnecessary; and he had frequently also been told that there was just as little necessity for an agreement, but he regarded this as a very one-sided view of the matter. He was greatly inclined to think that if a prize were offered for the best agreement which could be drawn up for a yearto-year tenancy upon any farm, at a future meeting, and a body of tenant farmers were called upon to act as judges, the prize would not be given to a blank sheet of paper. He did hope that, if not on that, at least on some future occasion, the remarks made might give rise to some observations from tenant farmers which might not only be useful to their own body, but also to the landlords."

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their balance-sheets, he had a shrewd suspicion that they would be very unwilling to do so. All he could say for himself was that, if he had been dependent upon his agricultural produce alone, he should have been, a long time ago, in the Gazette. What he wanted to hear was the prac tical experience of practical men-men of intelligencewho had gone into districts more favoured than our own, and had brought their knowledge of the systems there adopted to bear upon their own land. He thought some advantage had already resulted from the public discussion of such subjects. There was a less disposition to preserve undue quantities of game, and there had lately been a great destruction of hedge-row timber. In reference to agreements, his own opinion was that the best agreement, if you had a good tenant, was to interfere with him as little as possible. No doubt it was necessary that there should be agreements of some kind, protecting the tenant on the one hand and the landlord on the other, when a change of tenancy took place; but it ought to be of the simplest character. He should be very glad to assist in forming a committee to draw out such an agreement as would be considered generally acceptable in this county. There was one question, of great importance between landlord and tenant, which ought to be settled. It was the question of the sale of straw. The value of straw was so great that it approached very nearly that of hay; and yet the tenant was bound to take this exceedingly valuable produce, to tread it under foot in his yard, and convert it into something worth infinitely less, and was not allowed to sell it. It was a ques. tion of serious importance as to what conditions ought to be made under which the straw should be sold. Whether the money for the straw sold was laid out in manure or cattle food, or anything else, he was satisfied that the straw ought to be allowed to be sold under some arrangement or other."

And how feelingly and sensibly was his lordship's call on the tenant farmers "to speak their mind," answered by Mr. Swaffield, who said: "He stood before them not only as a judge, but as a tenant farmer; and, as the tenant farmers

The second, on this subject, is from the vice-president, Mr. Buller, who aptly said, " He entirely concurred in what had fallen from the noble lord who had first addressed them, in relation to what should be the nature of their dis-had been called upon to say something, he would say, as cussions at those meetings. He had always thought that, on those occasions, too much was left to the landlords. He did not think that gentlemen who farmed their own lands, who, no doubt, grew magnificent turnips and mangold wurtzels, and so on, were the best men to give information on agricultural subjects. They might, with reason, call upon them to show their balance-sheets, and they would probably find out that all this sort of thing would not pay. The test of good farming was that it should pay. Mr. Alderman Mechi, of whom they heard so much, was no doubt a man of great intelligence and energy, but he was a gentleman who drove a very valuable trade in cutlery and dressing cases; and when he went down to Tiptree farm, to teach the Essex farmers how to manage their land, they had a great deal of doubt whether he did not make more by his penknifes than his pigs. He (Mr. Buller) thought it was just possible that he might derive a greater profit from shaving than sheepshearing (laughter). If they were to call upon him (Mr. Buller) and his honourable and noble friends to produce

regarded the landlords, give your tenants confidence (applause). Give them confidence in their holdings, and there would then be no need for agreements. If a tenant managed his farm as it should be managed, that confidence would be repaid; and, if not, he would say, set him going. If a tenant had the confidence of his landlord, it was not required to tie him down to any agreement whatever. Another thing he had to say was, that where a tenant's holding was small, and it was not convenient for him to keep a good bull, it was the landlord's duty to keep one, in order to improve the stock of the neighbourhood. It was not to be expected that a tenant farmer, holding sometimes at rack rent, could afford 100 guineas for a bull; but it would be worth a landlord's while to give 200, or even 500 guineas for an animal to be at the service of the district. To the tenant he would say, take heed that your weed does not seed, rise early in the morning, and take care, as far as in you lies, to keep on good terms with your wife and your landlord" (Hear, hear, and laughter).

WINE-MAKING

The large collection of foreign wines shown at the Exhibition this year, and the fine and varied display of wine grapes recently on view at the Horticultural Society's show, serve to call attention in some degree to the producing capabilities of our own colonies, and of all these to the various Australian settlements as the best fitted for the purpose, as the wine-growers have already demonstrated. The strides they are making in the extension of vineyards and the manufacture of wine are remarkable, especially in South Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria. It is to the former of these that we would now, however, direct attention; for South Australia bids fair to become one of the most important wine countries of the world. The experiments of the past twenty years have proved the advantages of its soil and climate, and enough practical knowledge has been acquired to guard against the common errors which so frequently produced discouragement in the earlier days of the colony.

IN AUSTRALIA.

In many cases, publicans, who have to suit the palates of their colonial wine customers with a strong luscious wine and their pockets with low prices, buy up the produce of certain vineyards when the wines are about six months old, and of course before the fermentation is completed. These wines are drawn off from the wood perhaps a fortnight after leaving the cellar of the maker, and thereupon a large section of the public formed their estimate of the "colonial wines." But such liquors bear no resemblance to what Australian wines become with proper treatment. If the most critical connoisseur of wines were set down in the cellars of some of the best colonial wine-growers, he might taste samples which he would be compelled to pronounce equal to any wines of their class to be found in any part of the world. Samples of excellent red and white wines were sent to the International Exhibition from this colony, and South Australia carried off four medals for wines, against six gained by New South Wales and three by Victoria. The suitability of a large part of the colony of South Australia for wine-growing has already been fairly tested, and every year a largely increased acreage is planted with vines.

large scale, and to make it an especial feature of their business to reserve their wines from the market until they are in some measure matured.

A vineyard of twenty-six açres is of itself a little heritage, and if well-managed will be found to be a source of great profit. The vine is so easily propagated, and is moreover so comparatively light in its labour demand, that it is admirably adapted for the man of slender capital. From a report of one of the agricultural societies of Victoria, we learn that vineyards only six years old have yielded at the rate of 500 gallons to the acre; and vines of three years old have produced twelve pounds weight of grapes to each vine. Experienced wine-growers compare Australian plants at the age of 3 years to those of 7 years' growth on the Rhine. The details of winemaking may vary throughout the world; but certain principles must always be attended to in order to ensure success. The grapes especially should be fully ripe, or rather over dry, and also quite dry when they are gathered. Grapes enclosed in cotton bags are said not only to ripen sooner, but are enhanced in value 50 per cent.

Referring to the introductory chapter of Dr. Kelly's work entitled "The Vine in Australia," we find that, as the eldest colony, New South Wales took the lead in wine-making, and produced samples which have been brought into comparison with first-class wines in A wine-producing association has been lately formed Europe, and have stood the test of that ordeal. Ade- in the colony, composed of large capitalists and expelaide, following in the wake of the elder colony, im-rienced vignerons, who are prepared to operate upon a ported thence the varieties of grapes then found suited to the Australian climates, as well as the best kinds grown in Spain. The greatest obstacle which the South Australian wine-growers have had to contend with in extending their vineyards has been the abstraction of nearly all the available labour in the colony by the gold-diggings in Victoria and New South Wales; and even at the present time vineyard extension is in numerous instances retarded, not merely by the actual scarcity of labour, and its consequently high price, but by the uncertainty whether, after a vineyard has been planted, sufficient labour will be obtained to cultivate the vines. Still extension is rapidly taking place. The acreage in vines in South Australia was, according to the latest official returns in March, 1862, about 4,000; the number of vines in bearing about 2 millions, and as many more not in bearing. The quantity of wine produced in the previous season was 312,000 gallons, and the weight of grapes otherwise sold 23,229 cwt. Wine-making is now rapidly becoming a separate pursuit; and before many years, probably the colony will not be sending away wine in sample quantities, but by cargoes at a time. The production of wine is, however, still in its infancy, and for the most part the vine-growers are comparatively inexperienced; or if they have gained knowledge in the vineyards of Europe, they have not yet adapted it to the widely different circumstances in which they are placed. One consequence of this has been that in numerous cases vineyards were planted a few years ago with vines unsuited to the particular soil and position selected, or different varieties have been planted, ripening at intervals from February to April, and thus rendering it almost impossible to conduct the operations of the vintage with any degree of success. But the vines planted during the past two or three years have been more carefully selected with regard to adaptability to soil and aspect, and their value as wine-producing varieties.

Another serious drawback is that but few of the colonial wine-growers have either sufficient cellar-room or sufficient capital to hold their wines until they mature.

We received by a recent homeward mail a very interesting descriptive account of the various vineyards of South Australia, written by Mr. Ebenezer Ward, and the details of progress and improvement in the important agricultural industry are really surprising. We find therein an estimate given of the probable amount, yield and profit, which may reasonably be expected from 35 acres when in full bearing, and seasons favourable, as follows:-450 gallons of wine per acre, at 5s. per gallon £3,937 15s.; probable value of vine cuttings, at £10 per acre, £350; cost of management and wine-making, £1000, leaving a net receipt of £3,287 15s. This estimate of 450 gallons of wine per acre is what any first-class vineyard may be expected to produce; but would be above the average of those situated on theplains, except on the alluvial flats of the Torrens, or similar situations.

THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION VISIT TO THE MIDDLE LEVEL SLUICE.

tremities is 2 feet in one. At present there are only six of these siphons, three on each side, and a fourth was in course of preparation. These siphons carry upright pipes (G), which are all connected by a pipe running in the line of the dam and pump-house, so that each siphon is brought into immediate communication with the exhausting apparatus seated on the bank. The air is exhausted by the three pumps driven by a 12horse engine. The cylinders are 14 inches in diameter, and the stroke is one of 2 feet. It will be observed that there are valves at E E' both opening towards the left. As the air is exhausted the valve E' which is protected, and swings in a sort of case, allows a rush of water from the drain, which has then a clear passage over, to E, until the balance in level is established between the sea and the drain sides. The extremities rest upon a platform of concrete faced with timber, which is supported by four tiers of piles driven deep. The boundaries of these platforms are now marked by the presence of aprous or defences H H, which with a pump keep a free space for the workmen to continue their labours.

The time is coming when the value of this ingenious invention will be fully tested; but Mr. Appold regards the event of

the winter rain-fall and the approach of ice with apparent equanimity. He maintains that the 16 siphons will discharge more than the old sluice. The experiments already tried give him considerable assurance on this point, for with one siphon a discharge of 41,500 gallons per minute was effected, there being a 6 feet head. The 6 siphons, with 24 feet head have reduced the fall of water 9 inches from half-tide to halftide, and when the complete series is put to work it is expected that with a 6 feet lead 80 million gallons of drainage-water may be discharged to the sea-side in one hour. Some doubts are expressed with respect to the effect of weather upon the junction of metals, as likely soon to produce leakage, but we say nothing on this point.

It is only now necessary to add that the party, after spending an hour and a half at the dam, and in its neighbourhood, took the road again to Lynn, where a munificent champagne lunch had been prepared by Mr. Appold. The meal was a very merry one, blythe and noisy, especially when the spirited entertainer and his lady were toasted with bumpers in the sparkling beverage they had purveyed. The company dispersed at five o'clock, to take the train back to Cambridge.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR'S LAND

The object of the Act, as stated in the preamble, is threefold first, to give certainty or security to the title to real estates; secondly, to facilitate the proof of such title; and, thirdly, to render the dealing with land more simple and inexpensive than it is at present.

First, as to giving certainty or security to the title to land. This certainty or security is effected by rendering titles indefeasible or unassailable. With this view the Act establishes a registry of the title to landed estates, which registry is not to extend to copyhold estates, but only to freeholds and to long leaseholds.

TRANSFER ACT.

8. A statement of the charges and incumbrances (if any) on such lands, and of the persons entitled thereto. When the description of the lands has been settled and the registrar is satisfied with the title, notices are to be given by public advertisement of the intention to register the lands. Such notices are to contain copies of the description of the lands to be registered, and of the names and descriptions of the applicants for registration, and they are to be served on every adjoining occupier and the person to whom such occupier pays rent, and also on every person who shall appear to have any estate or interest in the lands, and on such other persons as may be deemed necessary. The notices must also state the period and place at which cause may be shown against the proposed registration.

In order to obtain an indefeasible title to freehold estates, persons who, whether beneficially or as trustees, are individually or collectively owners of or entitled to the fee simple, or who are owners of the first estate of freehold and first vested estate of inheritance, or who have contracted for the purchase of land and are authorized by their contract to do so, or with the vender's consent, may apply for the registration of their title as indefeasible; but the regis-now of a title by a conveyancer.

tration of a title as indefeasible can be effected in those

cases only in which there is shown to the registrar appointed under the Act a marketable title; that is, such a title as a court of equity would, in the absence of special contract, enforce upon an unwilling purchaser.

The title presented for registration will be investigated by the registrar and examiners of title, who will be either the conveyancing counsel of the Court of Chancery or such other conveyancing counsel and persons as the Lord Chancellor may appoint, and questions of doubt upon any title may be referred, by way of summons in chambers, to such judge of the Court of Chancery as the Lord Chancellor also shall ap" point; so that in very exceptional cases only, if indeed ever, will proceedings in the nature of a suit be necessary.

If the title shall be approved, the applicant for registration must furnish to the registrar

1. An exact description of the lands to be registered. 2. A statement of the several persons interested in such lands, and of the nature of such interest; and

Thus, the notices are not to be given until the title is ap proved; so that the rejection of any application to register a title on the ground of its not being marketable, will not be a matter of publicity or notoriety any more than is the rejection

If at the expiration of the time stated in the notice no objection shall be made to the registration, the registration will be completed, first, by an entry of the description of the estate in a book to be called "The Register of Estates with an Indefeasible Title;" secondly, by an entry in another book to be called "The Record of Title to Lands on the Registry" of the persons entitled to the lands mentioned in the first-named book; and, thirdly, by an entry in a third book to be called "The Register of Mortgages and Incumbrances" of the mortgages and incumbrances (if any) affecting the lands named in the Record of Title.

be permitted to inspect the books of registry except the

When the title is registered as indefeasible, no person will

owners, or mortgagees, or incumbrancers, or their solicitors or Thus publicity, one objection to a registration, is guarded agents, or except under an order of the Court of Chancery. against, and the books of registration will be as private as a landowner's title deeds.

The title deeds also which shall have been submitted to the registrar will not be kept by him, but they will be returned

to the owner, and if the title should be registered they will be stamped, to indicate that the land to which they relate has been registered under the Act. After the title has been registered, the registrar will preserve in his office printed copies of all deeds dated subsequent to the registration relating to the landa registered.

It should here be observed that when speaking of indefeasible titles under the Act, titles will in reality only be indefeasible in the hands of mortgagees and purchasers for value, and persons claiming through them. So that a person in possession of lands acquired by purchase, gift inter vivos, devise, or descent, cannot obtain for himself an indefeasible title to them under the Act.

Upon application the registrar will deliver to the owner of any lands upon the registry a certificate, called a Land Certificate, which is to contain copies of the entries in the registry books. An incumbrancer, also, will be entitled to have a certificate of his incumbrance. If a certificate should be lost, the registrar may grant a new one in its place; but the new one will not be of any avail against any person who may have derived title under the former certificate.

Thus far, then, as to obtaining an indefeasible title. But how will the second object of the Act, facilitating the proof of the title to real estates on the register, be attained?

But the Act does not stop there. The mode of conveyance will be rendered as short as possible, and consequently the expense of the conveyance greatly lessened.

The Act provides that all registered land may be conveyed or dealt with

1. By a statutory disposition in any of the forms described in the schedule to the Act.

2. By endorsement on the land certificate.
8. By deposit of the land certificate.

4. By any deed, will, or other instrument by which land, not registered, may now be conveyed or dealt with; but no equitable mortgage or lien on registered land shall be created by a deposit of title-deeds. The only way, then, in which sa equitable mortgage on registered land can be created is by a deposit of the land certificate.

The schedule comprises forms of conveyance of land, of mortgage, of transfer of land by endorsement on the land cer tificate, and of transfer of mortgage, all of them being in the shortest possible form. For example, the form of transfer of land is as follows: "Dated this day of. I, A. B., of &c., in consideration of (five thousand pounds) paid to me, grant to C. D. and his heirs for ever, all (insert description of land). "Signed and sealed by A. B. "Witness-E. F., of, &c., a Solicitor of the High Court of Chancery, or a certificated conveyancer."

The Act provides that, after the registration of any land as indefeasible, every estate or interest, of what kind soever, created or arising therein, shall be entered in the Record of Title or Register of Incumbrances, as the case may be. We may here add that the Act further expressly enacts that no unregistered estate or interest shall prevail against the title of any subsequent purchaser for valuable consideration registered under the Act; hereby sweeping away-and most properly sweeping away-all those doctrines and principles in regard to notice which have gone far to render nugatory the provisions of the heretofore existing Registration Acts. The Registry of Estates, the Record of Title, and the Re-published advertisement in the London Gazette. gister of Incumbrances (if any) will in fact form the abstract of title, and the root of the title will be the registration. Thus registration will facilitate the proof of the title to lands by holding up, as it were, in a mirror the state of the title and enabling such proof to be made almost at a glance; for every entry in the registry books will be in the shortest form consistent with accuracy, a deed of several skins of parchment being in the great majority of cases stated in a few lines.

We know not whether it be intended that in all those cases in which the forms comprised in the schedule are used the execution of them shall be attested by either a solicitor in Chancery or a certificated conveyancer. If so, it is clear that there may be cases in which such a requisition would be highly inconvenient, if not impossible to be complied with, This, however, is a matter which would seem to be readily susceptible of remedy, inasmuch as the Lord Chancellor has the power of altering the forms stated in the schedule by

We have now to consider the third object of the Act, simplifying and cheapening the dealing with land.

The length of time which ordinarily elapses between a contract for the sale of land and its completion is well known. It is seldom less than three months, and often, and sometimes more than three times three months, before the conveyance is executed and the transaction completed. This interval is taken up in examining the abstract, in making requisitions upon it, and answering them. Occasionally also one of the contracting parties resorts to the Court of Chancery to settle his differences with the other contracting party. Under the Land Transfer Act little time will be lost in investigating a title once registered, as the date of registration will form an epoch or fresh starting point, anterior to which it will not be necessary to make any investigation whatever into the title, inasmuch as the title will be unassailable by anything which may have happened prior to registration and the registry of estates. The Record of Title and the Register of Incumbrances (if any) will, as we have already said, in fact form the abstract of title. Thus one fruitful source of expense under the present system of land transfer, the investigation of title, will be done away with.

We should add that lands placed in the registry may be withdrawn from it at any time, and that the enactments of the Act are purely permissive, and do not oblige landowners to register under it.

Upon the application, by petition or otherwise, of any of the persons empowered to apply for a registration of title as before mentioned, sales of land with an indefeasible title may be made under the Act by the Court of Chancery, in the same manner as sales are made by the Landed Estates Court in Ireland.

The Act also provides for registration without an indefeasible title in cases where the applicant or person through whom he claims has been in the enjoyment or receipt of the rents of land, as owner of the fee simple, continuously for ten years prior to the period of the application.

In these cases no investigation of title will take place beyond the production to the registrar of the last deed or will (if any) under which the applicant derives title; and, apparently, the only expense will be that attendant on settling the description of the parcels and ascertaining the boundaries.

The Act also does not prescribe the mode in which the registration of land without an indefeasible title is to be effected; but we presume that in this case books similar to those which will be kept for the registration of indefeasi ble titles will be used.

The advantage which will attend registration without an indefeasible title will be that the record of title will evidence all dealings with the land subsequent to such registration, as in the case of registration with an indefeasible title. After the estate has been on the registry for a few years the title