31,000,000, while the products of other countries swells the grand total to 1,408,000,000 bushels. SEAS.-Length in miles (approximate): Mediterranean, 2,000; Caribbean, 1,800; China, 1,700; Red, 1,400; Japan, 1,000; Black, 932; Caspian, 640; Baltic, 600; Okhotsk, 600; White, 450; Aral, 250. SERFS.-RUSSIA: There were 47,932,000 serfs in Russia in 1861, as follows: Crown serfs, 22,851,000; appanage, 3,326,000; held by nobles, 21,755,000. The cost of redemption was as follows, in round numbers: Large sizes. No. 1. 8 11-24th in. No. 2. 8 11-24th in. + 1-3d8 19-24th in. No. 4. 8 11-24th in. +1-3d+1−3d + 1−3d = 9 11-24th in. - SICKNESS. The ratio of sickness rises and falls regularly with death-rate in all countries, as shown by Dr. Farr and Mr. Edmonds at the London Congress of 1860, when the following rule was established: Of 1,000 persons, aged 30, it is probable 10 will die in the year, in which case there will be 20 of that age sick throughout the year, and 10 invalids. Of 1,000 persons, aged 75, it is probable that 100 will die in the year, in which case the sick and invalids of that age will be 300 throughout the year. For every 100 deaths let there be hospital beds for 200 sick, and infirmaries for 100 invalids. SILK.-Production of raw silk: Value. $175,000,000 India and Persia. France.... Turkey, Spain, etc.... $256,000,000 There were 7,000,000 serfs, whose tribute averaged more than $35 per head, which was, in fact, the rent of their farms. Some Bohemian nobles had as many as 10,000 serfs. The redemption was effected by giving the nobles 5 per cent Government scrip, and land then rose 50 per cent in value. German Serfs. In 1848 the State took 60,000,000 acres from the nobles, leaving them still 25,000,000 acres, and gave the former among the serfs. Indemnity as follows: 1. Government scrip, $900 for each serf family, to nobleman. 2. Land tax, $15 per annum, transferred to peasant. 3. Interest, $35 per annum for 47 years, to be paid by peasant to the State being 4 per cent on cost of redemption. SHEEP. The number of sheep in various countries is as follows (in round millions): River Plate, 76; Australia, 66; United States, 49; Russia, 48; United Kingdom, 28; Spain and Portugal, 25; Germany, 25; France, 23; Austria, 21; Cape Colony, 11; Algeria, 9; Italy, 7; Roumania, etc., 6; Scandinavia, 5; Canada, 34; Belgium and Holland, 11⁄2; the total number being about 395,000,000. SHIPPING.-[See diagram, page 563]. Tonnage of entries at principal ports: Mexico Peru, etc.......... United States Germany See also diagram, page 567. Some of the wealthy Romans had as many as 10,000 slaves. The minimum price fixed by law was $80, but after great victories they could sometimes be bought for a few shillings on the field of battle. The day's wages of a Roman gardener were about 16 cents, and his value about $300, while a blacksmith was valued at about $700, a cook at $2,000, an actress at $4,000, and a physician at $11,000. SMALL-POX. In the epidemic of 1881 in England the returns showed 4,478 deaths per million inhabitants-98 vaccinated to 4,380 unvaccinated, or in the proportion of 44 to 1. In the epidemic at Leipsic in 1871, the death-rate was 12,700 per million, 70 per cent of whom were unvaccinated. These figures are by Dr. Mulhall. In Boston the proportion was 15 to 50, and in Philadelphia, 17 to 64. During the Franco-German war the Germans lost only 263 men from this disease, the French 23,499, the former having been re-vaccinated in barracks. In the war in Paraguay, the Brazilians lost 43,000 men from malignant or black small-pox, that is, 35 per cent of their army, nine cases in ten proving fatal. STARCH.-The percentage of starch in common grains is as follows, according to Prof. Yeomans: Rice flour, 84 to 85; Indian meal, 77 to 80; oatmeal, 70 to 80; wheat flour, 39 to 77; barley flour, 67 to 70; rye flour, 50 to 61; buckwheat, 52; peas and beans, 42 to 43; potatoes (75 per cent water), 13 to 15. STEAM POWER.-See diagram, page 563. STEEL.-The number of tons made for the years named is as See also diagram, page 546. Argentine Republic. TEA.-Production in millions of pounds: China, 290; Japan, 35; India, 52; Java, 7; Paraguay, 10. Total, 394. Consumption: Great Britain, 167; United States, 72; Australia, 14; Russia, 37; Various, 114. Total, 394. TELEGRAPH.-The United States have 154,650 miles of telegraph lines; Russia, 69,000; France, 48,000; Germany, 46,500; Austria-Hungary, 31,000; the United Kingdom, 27,000. TELEPHONES.-See diagram, Railroads, page 578. TEMPERATURE.-The temperature of the sea varies as fol. 1789. Fahrenheit thermometer marked 23° below zero at Frankfort, and 36° at Basle. 1809. Moscow, 480 below zero, greatest cold recorded there: mercury frozen. 1829. Jakoutsk, Siberia, 73° below zero on 25th January: greatest cold on any record. 1846. December marked 25° below zero at Pontarlier: lowest ever marked in France. 1855. Fires on Serpentine, Hyde Park. 1864. January, Fahrenheit stood at zero in Turin: greatest cold recorded in Italy. Captain Parry, in his Arctic explorations, suffered for some time 51 degrees below zero. Frost is diminishing in Canada with the increase of population, as shown by the fact that Hudson's Bay was closed, from 1828-’37, 184 days per annum, and from 1871-'80 only 179 days per annum. Summer Heat in Various Countries. The following figures show the extreme summer heat in the various countries of the world: Bengal and the African desert, 150° Fahrenheit; Senegal and Guadaloupe, 1300; Persia, 1250; Calcutta and Central America, 120; Afghanistan and the Arabian desert, 110°; Cape of Good Hope and Utah, 1050; Greece, 104°; Arabia, 103°; Montreal, 103°; New York, 102°; Spain, India, China, |