The wheat harvest has commenced, and it is expected there will be a tolerably good crop of that grain.

Barley in general is a deficient, and oats will not prove near an average crop.

The disposition to save the seed of Flax, does not appear general amongst the growers of it this season; it will be well if they do not suffer for the omission next year.

COMMERCIAL REPORT.

MEN in trade have often despised the theory of their own profession, and ridiculed those who have attempted to account for practice on the just principles of theory, Adam Smith, in his tectures at the University of Glasgow, has more clearly explained the principles of trade, than most men daily conversant in its details would have been able to do. Living in a large commercial town, he gathered from his communications with commercial men, details of the practice, and combined them in his comprehensive mind with an enlightened and enlarged theory. His lectures thus formed the ground-work of his Essay on the Wealth of Nations, a work which has done much to unfold the causes of public and private prosperity, and to unravel the intricacies of trade to the very men who made it their daily occupation. He likewise detected and exposed many prejudices which escaped their daily observation. Thus by a knowledge in chemistry, and other branches of science, literary men have often explained to artizans and mechanics the principles of their professions, so have the principles of trade been illustrated by a man not personally or practically conversant in its details. This may be called the philosophy of trade, and it has its important advantages by bringing enlarged and comprehensive principles to detect the errors which arise from men pledding on in the mere details of buying and selling.

To an investigation of principle, by theoretical men, we are indebted for much clearness of explanation on the present alarming depreciation of paper money. Prac tical men are too apt to act on confined views, and not take in a sufficiently compre hensive examination of the subject. They confine themselves only to such things as pass within their own limited range, and judge of the whole from the small part which they know. In the early numbers of these reports, the writer acknowledges, that from contracting his views merely to what passed around him, as to the traffic in guineas, he wrote too much in favour of adopting a paper currency, although he still maintained, even then, its inferiority to gold, if it had been practicable to retain the latter among us, but as the circumstances of the times, and the situation of the empire, imperiously prevented this desirable circumstance, he recommended a compliance with necessity, and to acquiesce in a crisis which could not be prevented. In fact, no better uld be done, for this small portion of the empire, the north of Ireland, could not resist the overwhelming torrent.

They who still hesitate to admit the actual depreciation which has taken place, are referred for farther proof, to the unfavourable rate of exchange against London on the continent of Europe. Bills drawn on London are purchased on the continent at a most unfavourable rate of exchange, because when they become due, they will be paid only in paper, for if they were payable in guineas, which could be withdrawn to the contineut, to pay British debts, the disadvantage of the exchange would immediately disappear, and the remittance of guineas or bullion from England, would speedily effect a remedy. A guinea is now worth 30s. in Hamburgh. The impolicy of the orders in council likewise increases the unfavourable rate of exchange, by cutting off the American trade with the European continent, for from this source remittances were formerly procured to moderate the high exchange.

Various opinions exist as to the causes of depreciation. High taxation, unfavourable foreign exchanges, the insolvency of the national banks evidenced by their protection not to pay in specie, and the over-issues of paper, are severally named. These all contribute their share. It may be unnecessary to examine with precision the exact proportion, which each of these causes respectively contribute, but let us recollect, they are all strictly referrible to the destructive system of war, in which we are blindly and per

tinaciously engaged. At the risque of being considered to dwell only on the one note, it cannot be too often reiterated, that the WAR is the source from which through various channels the depreciation proceeds. The French, by their public documents, plainly show that they understand the effects of the depreciation, and are prepared to avail themselves of our blunders in continuing to run in debt, and on this error of continual borrowing they place their ultimate hopes of success. They justly say, that running in debt, and continuing a perpetual war, are incompatible, for borrowing is only consistent with a speedy prospect of peace, and a consequent ability to pay the debt. The payment of the debt can never take place, while the expense of war is continued.

The French government have issued a new Gold coinage. The Napoleon, containing 40 franks in value, at 10d. per frank, is equal to £1. 13s. 4d. A few straggling Napoleons have found their way to this country, and they are already, it is stated, an article of traffic in London.

We find another proof of the depreciation of our currency, and the consequent high price of bullion, in the circumstance of the old plate of the Duke of Queensberry selling lately by auction, in London, at 8s. per ounce. It was not estimated at this price from any veneration for its late owner, or for its antiquity, but for its intrinsic value in bullion as relative to bank-paper, in which the purchase was paid.

Innumerable are the instances in which the effects of the war are felt. In the old established streets of London, as Ludgate-hill, and Cheapside, many houses become vacant through the bankruptcies of the owners, remain for a long untenanted. This is a circumstance unknown for many years in London, previous to the present times. It affords the best comment on the growing prosperity so often vaunted by ministers, and affords a more certain criterion of national wealth, than the fallacious returns received from the custom-house, in which are often estimated imports and exports which either cannot be sold, or are sold at a great loss to the owners, and hence add to the long list of bankrupts, victims to the times, many of them victims also to their own impru dence in their wild speculations.

The trade of emigration to America is considerably lessened. None of the vessels latterly going out from this port, had their full complement of passengers. The two men impressed from the Juno, as mentioned in the last report, have since obtained their liberty. Although released, after some difficulty, they have been great sufferers by this arbitrary and wanton exercise of power. Five others taken out of the Juno are till detained. The insolence of office in the British navy is oftentimes great. They find impunity in the difficulty to call them to account for the violations of law. The haughty conduct of naval officers exercised in many cases also towards Americans, forms a strong and just ground of complaint with them, and combined with other circumstances, helps forward the causes that are leading us to a rupture with them. Discount on bank-notes is again up to 14 or 15 per cent. Exchange on London has remained with little or no variation through this month at 9 per cent.

NATURALIST'S REPORT.

From July 20, till Agust 20.

July 23...Great Bindweed (Convolvulus Sepium) Willow leaved Loosestrife (Lysimachia Ephemerum) and upright Loosestrife (L. stricta) flowering.

25...Large Scarlet flowering Cornflag (Gladiolus Cardinalis) flowering.

28...Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa Grisola). This is the latest of our summer visitants, and after merely staying to rear its young, leaves us early in September. A common opinion prevails, that it eats cherries, but this like many other errors, arises from inaccurate observation, as this bird appears as purely insec tivorous as the Swallow.

29...Tree Primrose (Oenothira biennis) and Scarlet Fuschia (Fuschia coccinea) in the open ground, flowering.

Aug. 3...Virginia Shrubby Hydrangea (Hydrangea Arborescens); Scarlet Lilly (Lilium Chalcedonicum) flowering, and Yellow Hammer (Emberiza citrinella) singing. 4...Willow Wren (Sylvia Trochilus) singing. Rail, or Corn Crake (Rallus Crex) calling. This was the last time I heard the Rail this season. In 1810, the last time was on the 30th of July.

5...American Ceanothus (Ceanothus Americanus) flowering.

9...Swallow Wort leaved Gentian (Gentiana Asclepiadea) Autumnal Squill (Scilla Autumnalis) and Carolina Rose (Rosa Carolinensis) flower.

13...Panicled Lychnidea (Phlox paniculata) flowering.

15...Observed several of the Great Dragon Flies (Libellula Grandis) resting on dif ferent plants seemingly in sleepy state, as they suffered themselves to be caught with the hands without attempting to go off, a very uncommon thing, as they are mostly very cautious.

Blue Field Scabious (Scabiosa Succisa) flowering. 20...Superb Lily (Lilium Superbum) flowering.

..Fine days.

..A light shower.

.....Showers with high wind.

The Barometer may almost be said to have been stationary during this period, it being only once as high as 30.3, and twice as low as 29-4.

The Thermometer was as high as 67 on the morning of the 21st of July, and as low as 55, on the 7th and 10th of August, the highest it was observed was 68 on the 27th of July, at 8, P.M.

The wind was observed N.W. 14, W. 3....S.W. 12. N.E. 4....S.E. 2 times, N. 1...W. I time, so that the great prevalence has been westerly.

CELESTIAL PHENOMENA.

FOR SEPTEMBER, 1811.

(Extracted from Frend's Evening Amusements.)

It may

In the months of February and March last, very high tides were expected, and is this month there is room for the same observation, but not to so great an extent. indeed, from some circumstance of the wind, be higher than either of the former one

but ceteris paribus, though a high tide, it will be inferior to them. The inhabitants of places by the sea-side, or on the banks of tide rivers, will therefore be on their guard the 3d of this month.

On the 2d, there is an occultation of a star and an eclipse. The Moon is full at thirty-five minutes past ten at night, and the eclipse begins at twenty-three minutes and a half past nine, and ends at midnight The digits eclipsed are seven degrees, twenty-one minutes on the southern limb. She rises under the small stars in the Water-pot, which is to the south of the ecliptic, but the Moon's horizontal parallax is great, being sixty-one minutes and a half, so that her apparent path differs considerably from her real path. At twenty-two minutes, twenty seconds past nine, her eastern limb comes in contact with the eleventh of the Water-bearer, the star being thirteen minutes and a third south of the centre, and the star emerges at four minutes and a half past ten, being then twelve minutes and two thirds south of the centre. On the 7th the Moon passes the line between the Pleiades and Menkar, and is perceived to be directing her course to the Hyades, and on the 8th, she rises among them, for she passes the first fourth of the Bull at four minutes past seven, the second fourth at thirty-one minutes past seven, and Aldebaran at twenty minutes past midnight.

On the 12th, she rises in the morning; and we perceive her to be passing the space between the Twins and the Lesser-dog, but at a great distance from both.

On the 17th is new Moon at fifty-seven minutes past six in the evening, and as she passed the ecliptic between five and six in the morning, in her ascending node, an eclipse may be expected. There is indeed one of the Sun, bu: it is invisible to us. The Sun will be centrally eclipsed at twenty-two minutes past six on the morning of the 17th, to those who are in latitude forty-seven degrees, forty-nine minutes north, and ninetyfive degrees, forty minutes and a half west longitude.

On the 22d, the two first stars of the Balance are to the west of the Moon, as there is an occultation this evening of the seventh of this constellation. The eastern rim of the Moon touches the star at thirty-six minutes, forty seconds past seven, the star being one minute and a third north of the Moon's centre, and it emerges at forty-two minutes and a half past eight, the star being one minute south of the centre. Her course

is now directed above the second of the Scorpion, and the two plannets Saturn and Mars, to the east of her at a considerable distance.

On the 23d, we perceive, that she has passed the second of the Scorpion; and this star, with Antares and the Moon, forms a pleasing groupe. Saturn and Mars to the east, will, of course, fix our attention.

On the 24th, the Moon is over Saturn, and the groupe now formed by the Moon and the two planets, will form a pleasing contrast with that of the preceding evening. On the 30th, the Moon is on the meridian at fifty minutes past ten, under the four stars in square, the two western being to the west of, and the two castern to the east of, but at a much greater distance from the meridian.

Mercury is in his inferior conjunction on the 1st of next month, and consequently will be too near the Sun to be visible in the latter part of this month. To this time he is an evening star, at his greatest elongation on the 4th, and he is stationary on the 18th. He is in an unfavourable situation, being in the seventh sign, and having a southern latitude, which is daily increasing for the greater part of the month. The Moon passes Mercury on the 19th.

Venus is a morning star, and her duration above the horizon, before sun-rise is daily decreasing. At first it is little more than an hour, and the early riser will see her east by north, near the first of the Lion. From that star she is moving with a direct motion, and, as her conjunction is on the 11th of next month, we shall every morning have less opportunities of seeing her. The Moon passes Venus on the 17th.

Mars is in the meridian at twelve minutes past six in the evening of the 1st, and at fifty-five minutes past five on the 19th. His duration above the horison, after sun-set, is daily decreasing, and, being in the ninth sign with a southern latitude, it is never very long. He is moving with a direct motion through eighteen degrees and a half. The Moon passes him on the 25th.

Jupiter is a morning star, his duration above the horizon, before sun-rise, constantly increasing, so that before the end of the month he is at sun-rise on the meridian; and, as he rises on the 1st, about midnight, his right to the appellation of morning star may be called in question. The Moon passes him on the 11th.

Saturn is on the meridian on the evening of the 1st, at thirty-seven minutes past six, and on the 19th, at thirty-five minutes past five. His duration above the horizon after sun-set daily decreases. His motion is direct through little more than a degree; the slowness of his motion, compared with that of Mars, and the difference of their aspects, will be objects of contemplation during the month. The Moon passes by Saturn on the 24th.

Herchell is withdrawing himself from our observations. He is moving with a direct motion of little more than a degree and a quarter, under the two thirteenths of the Ba lance, passing the line drawn through the second of the Balance, and the second thir teenth, about the middle of the month. The Moon passes him on the 224.

The Sun's apparent diameter on the 1st, is thirty-one minutes, forty-six seconds, and on the 19th, thirty-one minutes, fifty-five seconds.

The state of the tides in the month of October, deserves our attention, as on the 3d a considerable one may be expected. It has already been observed, that the height of the tide in a particular place, depends upon other causes than those which have a general influence in this respect, and the state of the wind must not be neglected in our calculations.

ERRATUM...In No. 36, pages 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32, in the running title, for "Institution for the relief of the sick poor," read, " Annual report of the committee of the house of recovery and fever hospital."

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

"Considerations on punishing crimes by death," have been received, and are intended for publication when we can find convenient room. But the great length which the subject of a reform in punishments occupies in the present number, precludes the immediate insertion.

The Excursion to Briansford shall appear in the next number.