added to the weights until the scales balanced; these stones were then called "cheese," and were placed on the for near the cheese scale. If the cheeses weighed less than Oue cwb., stones were put into the cheese scale until the two scales balanced; these stones were called weights, and were put on the floor near the we ght scale. This process went on until all the cheese was weighed; but to avoid having a large pile of stones for each scale, it was often the custom to deduct from or add to the stones representing cheese as the weighing went on. At the list the stones were weighed against each other, and the dif fere ce added to or subtracted from the number of cwts. recorded on the wall. Sometimes tour 60 b. weights were used, and two cwt. of cheese weighed at each weighing. As soon as the cheese was weighed it was pud for, and the reason given was embodied in what may be called a proverbial saying "that the cheese and the money should always sleep together one night."

A Cheshire farmer never told his neighbours, and often not even his wife, what he got for his cheese; partly because he was very jealous of the reputation of his cheese, and did not like to think that anyone had got a better price; but partly also because the factors generally persuaded him that they were giving him more than they had given anyone else, and implored him not to tell anybody. The money which the farmer got for his cheese he kept for rent and farm expenses, and seldom supplied his wife with money for hou ehold expenses. They generally had two purses, and did not interfere with each other. The money which the wife got by the sale of butter, eggs, and such small produce was called " butter-money," and was her perquisite, and she had to pay household expenses out of it. Calves which came after grass time were generally fed on fleetings instead of milk, and were called "piggin-calves," and these also were the wife's perquisite. I have known the wife to be accused by the husband of taking too much cream out of the cheese to increase her butter-money; but such cases were rare, I am glad to say. I knew one couple whose custom was that the husband supplied coals to the house out of his purse, and the wife supplied candles out of hers. The consequence was that he kept the household short of fire on winter nights whilst she inade him sit in the dark, r by firelight only. There were frequent squabbles, of course, and the man spent most of his evenings at the public-house, and in the end killed himself with drink. But to return to the weights and measures. Twenty-four sheaves of corn are called a thrave. The threshing machine has in a great degree superseded the flail; but when handthreshing is done by piecework, it is almost always done at so much per thrave. The farmer counts out two or three thraves at a time for his men to thrash, and keeps a record of the amount of work done.

have heard of threshing being let at so much per measure (that is a local bushel) in order to ensure the corn being threshed out clean. In threshing, four sheaves used to be spread out on the floor, head to head, and when threshed they were tied up into two battens of straw; thus a thrave of corn only makes twelve sheaves of straw, and this no doubt accounts for an apparent anoma'y in Wilbraham's Glossary, where he explains a thrave as "generally twelve but sometimes twenty-four sheaves of corn." At auction sales stacks of corn are very often sold by the thrave. The imperial bushel is unknown in Cheshire; but we use what is known as a measure, which varies for different materials and in different localities. A measure of wheat varies, sometimes in neighbouring parishes, from 70lb to 75lb or 80lb. Four measures make a load. In buying corn, therefore, it is necessary to specify what weight a measure or load is expected to be. But, as I have already stated, the score being in such general use, it is almost more general to specify how many score a load is to weigh than how many pounds the measure is to weigh. 70lb to the measure equal 14 score to the load; 75lb equal 15 score, and 80lbs equal 16 score. Fourteen scores and sixteen scores to the load are the most

generally used. Oats are general y sold 45lb to the measure; in Chester 461b; but in some places 501b; and though we always speak of loads of wheat, I do not know that I ever heard a load of oats spoken of. Beans are sold by the measure of 60 b, or the load of 240lb. The old term "pack" for 240lb is frequently heard in Cheshire. Potatoes are sold by the long score of 21lb-the measure of 84lb - but this rather rarely, or the load of 12 score 12lb, that is 12 long scores or 2521b. Hampers are also made for potatoes, which are supposed to contain half a load, and they are frequently sold in these hampers without weighing. Fruit is sold by the local peck, the measure of four pecks, and the hamper of six pecks. About Frodsham green gooseberries are sold by the sack of six pecks. A peck of apples, if sold by weight, must weigh 141b; of pears 161b; and of plums 18lb. All kinds of corn are now sold in Cheshire by weight; but formerly I recollect there were measure, ha f measure, and peck cylinders; and no doubt corn was sold by measure as well as by weight-in fact we gather as much from the old Cheshire saying to express good measure“Maxfil mizzer, upyepp d and thrutched." Not many years since a pound of butter varied in different markets -seventeen or eighteen ounces were frequent; but at Northwich butter was sold by the dish, as it was called, of 20oz. Butter was also sold by the dish in Chester, but I do not know what weight it was. An

imperial gill is a quarter of a pint. In Cheshire a gil means double that quantity. If a Cheshire man were to call for a gill of ale in London, he would, to his infinite dismay, only be served with what he would designate a noggin. Before closing these remarks on

weights and measures, I must not omit to describe the method of cutting and weighing hay, so as to make what is called truss weight, which is rather a curious process. For market a ton of hay is cut into 40 trusses, which are supposed to weigh 561b each. The hay-cutter cuts each truss as near the required weight as he can guess, and then weighs it on a steelyard (locally called "drones") which is furnished with two long hooks to hook into the bands around the truss. The drones are hung to the stail (or handle) of a pikel (or pitchfork), the grains (prongs) of which are thrust into the side of the haystack, the other end resting on the man's shoulder. This arrangement just gives sufficient height for the truss to rest on the ground, and the man rai-es it from the ground for weighing by lifting the phel a few inches from his shoulder. Of course it very rarely happens that a truss weighs exactly 561b; but whatever weight is under or over the 561ts is recollected, and the underweight or overweight of each succeeding truss is subtracted from or added to the previous total under or overweight, until the whole are weighed. In fact a very ingenious mental Dr and Cr account is kept. An example will best illustrate my meaning. Suppose the first truss weighs 591b, this is 3lb overweight; truss 2 weighs, say 55lb. or llb under, which subtracted from 31b leaves 2lb overweight for the two trusses. Truss 3 may weigh only 50lbs, or 6lbs short; but there are already 2lbs over, the balance therefore is 4lb short in the three trusses. When the errors are so small as those they are allowed to pass; but if the error is very great, or the balance begins to get much too high or too low, some hay is taken from or added to a truss to equalise it again. When the last truss is weighed the whole ton may be a few pounds over or under, but cannot be more incorrect than a few pounds; and this error is easily rectified in the last truss. In retailing the hay, it is sold per truss on the supposition that each truss weighs about 561b. If each truss is not weighed it is called cutting it "catch weight" Hay cutting is a special business. With respect to the superstitions of farmers there is the same belief in omens, warnings, charms, and general folk lore that we find amongst other members of the community; but the superstitions I wish to mention to-night are such as especially relate to the domestic animals and plants on a farm, or to such objects as the farmer or labourer, from their residence in the country, are brought in special contract with. Thus, there is a curious belief that bears only breed once in seven years; and that their doing 80 causes ill-luck to the breeding of domestic animals. I have it recorded that in 1878 my sow had the misfortune to lose a litter of pigs. Several of my neighbours were equally unfortunate; and the circumstance was gravely attributed to the supposition that "bears must be breeding this year." Sows when they farrow are propitiated with a large slice of hot toast and lard

to make them gentle and prevent them eating or otherwise injuring their young. Pigs should always be killed when the moon is increasing. If killed in the wane of the moon it is supposed they will not weigh so well, and the meat will shrink in cooking. Many old-fashioned people are very particular in this matter. When pigs rush about and carry straw in their mouths it forbodes windy weather. Throughout the country there is a popular idea that "pigs can see the wind;" but I am not sure whether I have ever actually heard the saying in Cheshire or not.

66

A good deal of folk lore attaches itself to the cow. In every herd there is always supposed to be one master cow, who has acquired a sort of influence over the rest, and leads them from one pasture to another. She also acts as ringleader in any mischief, as, for instance, when the herd break through a hedge into a turnip field. The premature calving of cows is of great annoyance to a farmer, and it entails not only loss of a calf but of the quantity of milk. It is universally supposed to be infectious, and several super. stitious remedies are resorted to to avert it. One is to bury the calf born prematurely under its mother's "booze." Another remedy practised at Henbury some fifty years ago was to nail the calf against the wall of one of the buildings. It is desirable that cows should calve in the day-time, as then the cowman has not the trouble of sitting up with them at night. In order to ersure their doing so they should be" dried off" preparatory to calving—that is, milked for the last time on a Sunday. It is also believed that if the first cow that calves calves in the night the majority will do the same; but if she calves in the day, most of the others will follow suit. It is considered very bad to put your hand on a calf's back; it is supposed that it will cause it to be ill. A calf generally crit ges when a hand is laid on its back, which no doubt has given rise to the idea that it hurts it in some way. There is a saying that "the red cow gives good milk," and a popular idea that red cow's milk is better than any other. Iu old medical books (not confined to Cheshire) when milk was ordered to be given, it was frequently speciied that it should be taken from a red cow. When almost all the cows in a herd lie down in the foreuoon, we always consider in Cheshire that it forbodes rain; and I am bound to say that I have frequently verified the belief. With respect to the horse I have gathered very little folklore. A horse shoe is nailed upon the stable door to keep the witches from gaining entrance; and in many places a goat is kept amongst the horses, for what reason I have not discovered; I have occasionally been told that the smell of a goat is good for horses; but I fancy there is some deeper reason. The stripe on a donkey's shoulders is called its cross, and supernatural virtues are attributed to it. It is considered an infallible cure for the whooping cough. There are two ways of administering it. A portion of

the hair from the cross may be sewn up in a piece o flannel, and worn round the neck of the patient; or it may be chopped up very fine and eaten between bread and butter. Some years ago, when I lived in Mobberley my children had a donkey, and it was not at all an uncommon occurrence to receive the following request:-"Mester, so-and-so's choilt's gotten th' chincough, will yo, plaise, send a bit o' hair from th' donkey's cross?" I always sent what was wanted. Our Cheshire people have the strongest possible aversion to a hen which has acquired the uncanny habit of crowing like a cock. It is sure to bring bad luck, and is generally killed at once. We likewise say

A whist ing woman and a crowing hen
Are neither fit for God nor man.

A cock crowing near the kitchen or houseplace door is
a sign that a stranger is coming. Our farmers' wives
consider that all kinds of poultry should be set upon
an odd number of eggs, otherwise they will have no
luck. Many will not set their hens until after sunset;
but I have heard it said that a turkey will not have
luck unless she is set before sunset. Bees in Cheshire, as
in many other places, should be told when the master
of the house dies, or it is supposed they will desert
their hives; but we go further than this, for the death
of any member of the family affects them preju-
dicially. I recollect on one occasion overtaking a
farmer's wife who was a noted bee-merchant, and who
had a great number of hives when I had last visited
her Louse. "Well, Mrs Burgess," I said, "how have
the bees done this year?" "Ah," she replied, "they
are all gone. When our Harriet lost her second child
many of them died. You see they were under the
window where it lay, and then when Will died last
spring the rest all died too; at least some of them went
away and left their honey, but the rest died. I bought
a hive of bees again, but they have not swarmed, and
they have not done much good.
to say that death has nothing t› do
may depend upon it that it has.

Some folks pretend with bees; but you I always say that bees are very curious things." "Yes," I said, “they are very curious things." It is said that bees should never be bought; they should be begged or borrowed; but if bought they should be paid for in gold, or exchanged for some equivalent, such as a young pig, =or they will not be lucky. It is a common practice when any no wishes to begin keeping bees for a neighbour to give him a swarm, on the understanding that it shall be repaid if the donor's bees ever fail and he himself shall be in want. Ringing bees when they swarm. by making a clatter with cans, shovels, &c., is implicitly believed in. It is supposed to cause them to settle-knit as we call it in Cheshire. If after the swarm is hived a cluster of bees persistently remain clinging to the branch where they knit, a bunch of nettles dipped in liquid manure and suspended over them will, it is believed, drive them away. The bees

are said to have an antipathy to the rettles, on the principle, I suppose, that they both have stings-for we know, according to the old adage "two of a trade can never agree." Frogs are believed to indicate approaching weather. If they are bright and light-coloured it will be fine; if dull and dark-coloured, we may expect rain. It is firmly believed that hedgehogs suck the cows' milk when they lie down at night in the fields. I do not think you could convince a Cheshire farm labourer to the contrary. Horse beans are said to

grow the wrong way up in the pod in leap year. Parsley seed is proverbial for remaining a long time in the ground before it germinates. I hope I shall not shock my hearers very much when I tell them that the Cheshire farmer accounts for it by saying that it goes nine times to the devil. I have also heard it said that to ensure a good growth of pars'ey the seed should be sown on Good Friday. It is very commonly said that eschalots, which are much grown in Cheshire gardens, should be planted on the shortest day and pulled on the longest. Two grasses-darnel, Lolium temulentim, and drook, Bromus secalnius, both of which have large seeds almost like small grains of wheatare very common weeds amongst corn in Cheshire. Darnel produces a spike of flowers, drook grows in a panicle. The former is believed to be degenerated wheat, and only to grow amongst that crop; the latter is supposed to affect oats only, and to be a degenerated form of that grain. I will only mention one more superstitious practice connected with farming though it is by no means confined to Cheshire. It is never omitted by our farmers' wives and dairymaids, who, when they have mixed the yeast with the flour for making bread, invariably mark a cross with their finger upon the surface in order to keep out the witches, who otherwise might spoil the bread by preventing it rising. I have been told that there is a formula to be silently repeated whilst the charm is being worked, and which must not be divulged to outsiders, but unfortunately it has never been communicated to me, and I am unable, at present, to tell you its purport. (To be Continued).

THE TRANSIT OF VENUS.

It has

For some time this planet has attracted a considerable amount of attention from even the most unscientific of observers. A few particulars may not be uninter esting to your readers. During the early part of December it was low down in the south, and in the region known to astronomers as Capricornus. moved onward into Aquarius, and as it keeps changing its position and its time of rising a d setting, we will have it with us an evening star only until the first half of the month of February. After that it becomes a morning star. Then after a time it will become an evening star again. On December 9th Venus had

attained to greatest eastern sicogation This 10 say, it had got to its greatest apparent distance east of the sun. S bright is Venus at times that it can be seen during the day, belcze darl.n ss sets i Aud-112 doubt becaus→ of its beauty and prominence-it a supposed to have been the first of the planets to attract the attention of mankind. The hold it has on our admiration grows rather than lessens the more we study it. Not only is it very beautiful, it is of great use as well. We are helped by its movements to a fuller knowledge of the laws that govern our solar system, and we take the greater interest in it because in many ways it more closely resembles the Earth than any of the other planets. The Earth, as we know, turns completely round on its own axis every 24 hours, making one day. The day in Venus is just a little less than this, the actual period being 23 hours 21 minutes. Its diameter also comes very close to that of the Earth, being 7510 miles; but, being much nearer the Sun than the Earth, it has a shorter year than our planet, Venus going round the Sun in 224 days 17 hours, agunst our 365 days and odd hours and minutes. The distance from the Sun in the case of V. nus is about 66,130,000 miles. When we get into millions we get into figures too vast to be readily understood; and yet we are accustomed to speak of Venus as being near the Sun. The Sun, however, has nearer neighbours still. The 1 earest of all is supposed to be Vulcan, and Vulcan, we are told, is so close that it cannot be seen. It is a case of being "so near and yet so far," for Vulcan is, at any rate, fourteen millions of miles from the Sun, round which it circles every twenty days, so that to Vulcan a new year comes in about two-thirds of one of our months. Next to Vulcan comes Mercury, about whose presence in the solar system there is no doubt at all, and whose mean distance from the central orb is a little over 35,000,000 miles. It has about four years to our one. Venus comes next, and the next planet to Venus is the Earth.

8. d.

s. d.

8. d. 8. d 1680...40 0 172...23 8 1784... 50 4 1835...39 4 1681...41 1733...25 2 1485... 43 1 1836...48 6 1632...39 1 1734...30 9 1786... 40) 0 1837...55 10 1683...35 1735...33 2 1787... 42 3 1838...64 7 1684...39 1756...35 10 1788 46

1685...41 5 1737...33 9 1789 .52
1656...30 2 1738...31 6 1790... 54
1687...22 4 1739...34 2 1791... 48
1688...40 10 1740...45 1 179... 40
1689...26 8 1741...41 5 1793... 49
1690...30 9 1742...30 2 1794... 52
1691...30 2 1743...22 1 1795... 75
1662.41 5
1693..60 1
1694...56 10
1695..47
1696...63 1
1697...53 4
1698.. 60 9
1699...56 10

4 1839...70 8

9 1840...66 4 91841...64 4 71842...57 3 31843...50 1

3 1844...51 3 3 1845...50 10 21846...54 8 1744...22 1 1796.. 78 7 1847...69 9 1745...24 5 1797... 53 9 1848...50 6 1746...34 8 1798 51 10 1849...44 3 1747...30 11 1799.. 69 0 1850...40 3 1748...32 10 1800...113 10 1851...38 6 1749...32 10 1801...119 6 1852...40 9 1750...28 10 1802... 69 10 1853...5% 3 75...34 2 1803... 58 10 1854...72 5 1700...35 6 175...37 2 1804... 62 3 1 55...74 8 1701...33 5 1753...39 8 1805... 89 9 1856...69 2 1702...26 21751...30 9 1806... 79 1 1857...56 4 1703...32 0 1755...30 1 1807... 75 4 1858...44 2 1704...1 4 1756...40 1 1808... 81 4 1859...43 9 1705...26 8 1757...53 4 1809... 97 1706...23 A 1758...4 4 1810...106 1707...25 4 1759...35 3 1811... 95 1708...36 10 1760...33 5 1812...126 1709...69 9 1761...26 9 1813...109 1710...69 4 1762...34 8 1814... 74 1711...48 0 1763...36 1 1815... 65 1712...41 2 1764...41 5 1816... 78 6 1857... 4 5 1713...45 4 1765...48 0 1817... 96 11 1868...63 9 1714...44 91766...43 1 1818 86 3 1869...48 2 1715...38 21767...47 4 1819... 74 6 1870...46 11 1716...12 8 1768...53 9 1820... 67 10 1871...56 8 1717...40 7 1769...40 7 1821... 56 1 1872...57 0 1718...34 61770...43 6 1822... 44 7 1873...58 1771...47 2 1823... 53 4 874...55 9 8 1824... 63 11 1875...45 1 0'1*25... 68 6 1876...46 2 8 1826... 58 1877...56 9

4 1860...53 3 51861...55 4 31862...55 5 6 1863...44 9 9 1864...40 2 4 1865...41 71866...49 11

1720...32 10 1772...50 1721...33 4 1773...51 1722...32 01774...52 1723...30 10 1775...48 4 1827... 58 6 1878...46 5 1724...32 10 1776...38 2 1828... 60 5 1879...43 10 1725...43 11777...45 6 1829... 66 3 1880...44 4 1726...40 10 1778 42 0 1830... 64 3 1881...45 4 1727...37 4 1779...33 8 183... 66 4 1882...15 1 1728...48 0 832... 58 8 1883...41 7 6 1833... 52 11 1881...35 8 3 1834... 46 2 1885...32 10 3

51780...36

1729...41 7 171...40 1730...32 5 1782...49 1731...29 21783...54 Highest, 1812, 126s 6d; lowest, 1743-44, 22s 1d. Cheadle. R. THOMPSON.

HEIGHT ABOVE SEA LEVEL.

In a recent impression I observed the introduction of a new feature in your paper-viz., information as to the altitude of several towns, toge her with a request for particulars of a like nature about other towns from persons able to give the figures with

accuracy, and as reliable s'atistics of this kind would be valuable from a "healthy-home" point of view, I hope to see your invitation responded to week alter week till the altitude of all health resorts and important town and residential districts are given. Will some of your correspondents inform me, firstly, what is the sea level? an1, secondly, which is the way to arrive at the altitude of a p'ace? and oblige

ONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW.

Queries.

THE WELLES FAMILY OF SANDBACH. Turning over Ormerod I find that several members of this family left bequests to Cheshire charities, but no mention is made of the family's history. I should be glad, therefore, if some of my correspondents possessing such information would communicate or inform me in what work it is to be found. A BOOKWORM.

THE PRESENTATION OF COLOURS TO THE OLD "STOCKPORT LOYAL VOLUNTEERS."

In the Gentleman's Magazine for January, 1795, appears a very interesting account of the presentation of colours to the old "Stockport Loyal Volunteers," which will doubtless be welcome to many of your readers.

The colours were discovered stored

away in a disused part of the Court House some few years ago, and were subsequently removed to the Vernon Park Museum, where they still remain. The presentation to the corps took place, it appears, on the 7th January, 1795, and the account given of the event in the Gentleman's Magazine is as follows

"The corps was drawn up in the Market place at nine o'clock. From thence they proceeded to the field where they are exercis d. A part of the Grenadier company were then detached, and went to receive an elegant set of colours (the gift of Lady Warren) from Mrs Prescott, which being delivered to the ensigns appointed to carry them, Captain Watson, the commanding officer, addressed the corps in the following words:

'Gentlemen and fellow-soldiers,-The cause in which we have with so much alacrity engaged, and which so honourably distinguishes the loyalty of the generality of the inhabitants of this town, cannot have a more exalted testimony of the propriety of training our. selves to arms, in the defence of our king and country, than the presentation of these colours from a lady of such distinguished sense and amiable elegance of manners as our lady patroness. The soldier must want emulation indeed who, under such an obligation, is not determined to defend them to the last drop of his blood; especially when delivered as they are, the insignia of fidelity to the best of Sovereigns. As a young corps, we have not, it is true, a reputation established by former achievements to spur us on to deeds of glory; but should our country require our services, we ought to remember that we are Britons, associated for the laudable purpose of supporting the Imperial Crown of this

realm, and preferring the constitutional rights and liberties of a great nation, and of a free and happy people; objects which, I trust, it is as much our inclination as it is now become our duty to support to the last extremity. And although an extraordinary degree of success has latterly attended the arms of our enemies, we ought not on that account to be dismayed; but, at a momentous crisis like the present, when everything dear and valuable as men and as Christians is at stake, it behoves us by our valour and perseverance to convince the world that we are still worthy of the name and character of Britons. Gentlemen, this is a subject on which much might be said by men of genius and eloquence; but I, who am a plain man and unused to public speaking, must content myself with adding that in justice of our cause, in the good sense, in the loyalty and bravery of my countrymen, and in the protection of that Divine Providence whose honour has been so openly violated by our enemies, I place my confidence and hopes of success; trusting that neither the hostile attacks of our enemies, numerous as they are, nor the wicked attempts of those at home, who by the industrious discrimination (dissemination ?) of novel doctrines, have so insidiously endeavoured to destroy the orders of civil so iety, and spread anarchy and confusion over the land, will in the end avail them anything; but that we, by unanimity among ourselves and by a vigorous prosecution of the just and necessary war (the war with France) in which we are engaged, shall ultimately be enabled effectually to resist all their efforts, and to transmit to posterity, unimpaired, a Constitution which has long been the pride and boast of Englishmen, and an object of admiration and envy to surrounding nations.'

"The corps then went to church, where their worthy chaplain, the Rev. Charles Prescot, delivered a most excellent sermon, adapted to the occasion, from the 133rd Psalm: Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.' horrors of a foreign invasion, and those arising from civil wars, were pourtrayed in the most lively colours

The